Wildly successful during its heyday in the mid-'90s, Tortillas is in many way a victim of its own influence, having kicked off the city's burrito boom that has spawned countless imitators and, most recently, at least two local restaurant chains.
As co-owner Charlie Kerns explains: "The burrito war has been fought and won. We didn't win it."
Kerns says that while Tortillas still does enough business to remain open indefinitely, he wanted to retire his labor of love before it slips too far into decline.
"Sometimes things look better in the rear-view mirror," he says.
When Kerns and his wife, Grace, moved here from San Francisco in 1983, the couple soon missed the thick, bean-filled burritos popular on the West Coast. They opened Tortillas the next year in the small Ponce de Leon storefront now occupied by Marco's Pita.
Like its contemporary, Fellini's, the burrito joint developed an immediate following among young Intowners.
"I hire a lot of musicians because I know where they're coming from and I like having that vibe in my place," says Kerns, 55 and a rock-band veteran. He followed a similar approach with his two other Ponce de Leon restaurants, Eats (which turns 10 this year) and The Local.
Inspired by Tortillas' success, a long list of Intown burrito places have sprung up, including Raging Burrito, Burrito Art, Great Western Burrito and El Myr. But Kerns says the real damage to his own indie enterprise came from local chains Willy's Mexicana Grill and Moe's Cantina.
The final nail in the coffin came when Moe's, which already has about 50 franchise locations in seven Southern states, opened up a couple of blocks east of Tortillas. Kerns believes the move was an intentional grab for his turf.
"If that guy ["Moe"] wants to meet me in my parking lot, I'd be happy to duke it out with him," he says.
After Tortillas' last day on May 24, Kerns says he'll think about what next to open in the familiar building with the open-air balcony overlooking Ponce.
"It's a great location and we're not about to give it up," he says.
scott.henry@creativeloafing.com
COMMENTS
RE: Tortillas calls it a wrap
Posted by Treetop on 02.05.10 @ 05:10 AM
I think I was one of Charlie's first customers when he opened in the little old location.
I ate there for years, and one day, I was so hankering for my burrito, with green chile and potatoes added, with red sauce, that I forgot I had my paycheck in my pocket and no cash, and I was supposed to go to the bank first. I saw Charlie, as I had already ordered and just become aware of this dilemma, and he said it was on him. What a guy.
Sure miss it too. Mike
RE: Tortillas calls it a wrap
Posted by ChiroPadgett on 10.19.09 @ 10:29 PM
It's been over 5 years and still the closing of this burrito joint still saddens me. My big bro and I ate here at least 2-3 times a week. We would go there on our lunch break at Coke. The bean,cheese and rice super burrito with both green and red sauce is definately the best morsel I ever had. My infant son was gumming down rice and beans at 3 months old. There was just something special about those burritos and how putting them on the grill to melt the flavors together. After leaving Coke and going to chiropractic school, I probably turned a hundred others on to the wonders of Tortillas. Even after moving to Alabama I would come back about once a month for my Tortillas fix. Nothing compares. Nothing. I still drive by when I'm in town ever optomistic that maybe, just maybe.