Armadillo closes its Littleton restaurant -- and stiffs employees?

Colorado has produced several successful Mexican chains -- the Rio Grande group, for example, and Santiago's, which seems to add another outlet every week. But one longtime chain is suffering from shrinking pains -- and its employees are suffering, too. Last week, the Armadillo closed its restaurant in Littleton, and...

By Patricia Calhoun

January 18, 2012

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Colorado has produced several successful Mexican chains -- the Rio Grande group, for example, and Santiago's, which seems to add another outlet every week. But one longtime chain is suffering from shrinking pains -- and its employees are suffering, too.

Last week, the Armadillo closed its restaurant in Littleton, and KUSA reports that workers went without pay in the end.

The closing of the Littleton location leaves six Armadillo restaurants in Colorado.

The company owned by the Lucio family got its start in 1970; at one point, it had a dozen spots -- including one at 15th and Platte streets, in what's now one of the hottest restaurant neighborhoods in town. But that closed long ago, and while the armadillo may be a tough animal, its namesake restaurant chain is going through some tough times now.

Brandon Lucio talked to Channel 9 on behalf of his father, Louie Lucio: "My dad's going to do everything he can to get everybody paid," he said, "and, you know, if there was money to do it with, it would have been done earlier."

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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