A East Dallas Restaurant Closes Its Doors

A Family-Run Restaurant Faces the Challenges of a Struggling Economy

Russell Birk opened Maya’s Modern Mediterranean in East Dallas in 2017, marking his first foray into the restaurant business. The small venture initially defied the odds by surviving its first year. Even more remarkably, it endured the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after seven and a half years, the restaurant has finally met its limit due to a significant decline in sales.

Birk announced that Maya’s Modern Mediterranean will close on December 23. This closure follows the recent shuttering of Be Home Soon, another restaurant in the same shopping center, which also struggled with declining sales. For Birk, the decision to close was not an easy one, especially as a parent with family responsibilities.

“As a small business owner with a family and obligations, I just can’t make it work,” Birk said. “My sense is it’s more the economy than anything else. All of a sudden over the last year, it’s just been a steady decline and nothing I’ve done has worked. I keep waiting for sales to return to normal but they just aren’t.”

Independent restaurants like his are particularly vulnerable, he noted. With minimal profit margins, they are at a disadvantage during economic downturns. “We can handle a downturn, but we can’t handle a downturn that lasts this long,” Birk said. “Or at least I can’t. I won’t speak for everyone else. High-end restaurants are still doing really well, but a lot of restaurants like mine are struggling.”

The closure is especially difficult for Birk because the restaurant has been a family effort. Named after his daughter, it has been a place where all of his children have contributed over the years, both behind the scenes and at the cash register.

Widespread Decline in Sales Across Texas

The drop in restaurant sales has been observed across Texas over the past year, according to data from the Texas Restaurant Association. The association recently expressed concerns about the sustainability of restaurants in the state.

“It’s a perfect storm honestly,” said Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association, in an interview with The Dallas Morning News last month. “You have a fatigued consumer and a fatigued restaurant owner.”

Birk, who transitioned from a finance career to the restaurant industry, opened a second location of Maya’s in Dallas’ Hillcrest Village nine months ago. Unlike the Casa Linda location, this new spot has seen increasing sales and will remain open.

He attributes part of the success at the Hillcrest location to its smaller size compared to the Casa Linda location, which has 125 seats. “That’s a lot of seats for a fast-casual restaurant and it never filled up,” Birk said.

Lessons for New Restaurant Owners

For those looking to open a restaurant in today's economy, Birk offers some advice: “Whatever you think you need, double it. People just don’t build up enough working capital to stay open. Both of my restaurants opened under-capitalized, and that’s hard to survive in that first year.”

As Maya’s Modern Mediterranean prepares to close, Birk plans to offer special promotions to customers. The restaurant will feature 50% off beer and wine during its final weeks. Additionally, on December 18 from 6 to 8 p.m., Booker T. Washington jazz students will perform on the patio.

Maya’s Modern Mediterranean will officially close on December 23 at 9540 Garland Road, Ste. C362, Dallas. The Hillcrest Village location will continue to operate.