Redevelopment threatens to replace locally-owned taqueria with Chick-fil-A

Redevelopment threatens beloved, locally-owned San Jose eatery

Taqueria Eduardo has operated out of its current location at the intersection of Race and San Carlos Streets for 20 years. Now, a redevelopment proposal threatens to close their doors, and replace them with a Chick-fil-A

SAN JOSE, Calif. - After 20 years in business, a beloved San Jose eatery may soon be forced to close its doors.

Taqueria Eduardo has been operating out of its current location in a strip mall at the intersection of Race and San Carlos Streets since it first opened.

But the San Jose Planning Commission is currently considering a proposal that would redevelop the entire property and replace Taqueria Eduardo with a Chick-Fil-A.

"It is sad for us. We really like being here in this location," owner Luis Martinez said. "There's a lot of uncertainty here right now after we found out that Chick-Fil-A wanted to come here."

The business has posted a QR code on its cash register, which takes customers to a change.org petition opposing the plan.

As of Monday, it had been signed by over 3,000 people.

The petition calls on the city to strike a balance between revitalization and keeping locally-owned businesses in the community.

"We're worried about the change that it's going to bring to us, financially for us as a family and for the employees we've had for over 15 years. They're asking me every day what's going to happen, and how long do we have here?"

The Chick-fil-a proposal was supposed to come before the San Jose planning commission later this week, but that meeting was postponed, which has only furthered the uncertainty for Martinez and his staff.

In a statement to KTVU on Tuesday, the fast-food chain said, "​Chick-fil-A is committed to being a good neighbor and contributing positively to the communities we serve. We are actively engaging with community leaders to understand and address the feedback."