JUST CHILLIN CLOSED????

I just read a post on TOB saying that the poster saw a hand written sign on their door around 2 p.m. saying "closed due to robbery and harrassment". No other clue. Anyone have any idea what's going on there?

Robbery, I understand. But who would want to harrass those hard working, nice young people running the place?

Eviljellycoats??

the correct term is eviljellycoals

More likely the local "restaurant union" paid them a visit.

CanuckBob wrote:More likely the local "restaurant union" paid them a visit.

Pardon my naivete, but would you expand on that at bit? You talking cartels, local extortioners, WHAT?

competitors perhaps?

Pedro wrote:competitors perhaps?

I can think of some fairly competitive restauranteurs in this town, but THAT SLEAZY??

gringal wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:More likely the local "restaurant union" paid them a visit.

Pardon my naivete, but would you expand on that at bit?  You talking cartels, local extortioners, WHAT?

Local extortioners, cartel affiliates, union representatives are one and the same. Many small businesses around here are paying "union dues" for their employees. Others are paying for "security services"..........nothing new here.

I have no idea if that is what happened to those nice kids at Just Chillin but "robbery & harassment" sounds about right.

You're probably right. I guess they must have refused to pay up.

This is horrible! The young people that own and run Just Chillin' are the nicest kids you'd ever want to meet. Why would someone want to ruin their livelihood? I hope they catch whoever did it very soon, and punish them accordingly.
If someone could post a thread on this forum as soon as they're able to re-open the restaurant, I will DEFINITELY be there with as many friends as I can get at that time to come! I hope that many of you will be able to do the same. They'll need our support, financially and emotionally after something like this!

Most of the restaurants here pay some sort of "protection" as CBob says it is the norm. Several restaurants also have overnight guards. If the chose not to play they were extremely naive.

Hopeful that they will get back up and running quickly.

The extortionists could not care less wether the people were nice or not they are in for the money, personalities have nothing to do with it. Ask Dra. Luz..You either pay or leave.

suegarn wrote:This is horrible!  The young people that own and run Just Chillin' are the nicest kids you'd ever want to meet.  Why would someone want to ruin their livelihood?  I hope they catch whoever did it very soon, and punish them accordingly.  
If someone could post a thread on this forum as soon as they're able to re-open the restaurant, I will DEFINITELY be there with as many friends as I can get at that time to come!  I hope that many of you will be able to do the same.  They'll need our support, financially and emotionally after something like this!

Catch them.......?? Jaja.......welcome to Mexico!

Catch them that is funny..Many businesses pay up or close so they do not have to go through the same trauma. At least at the LCS they maybe a little safer, until the guys find out where thy ended up..

Yep, as CB said: Bienvenido a México. sucks

hockables wrote:Eviljellycoats??          

Hahaha! Now I have to add hockspeak to my translator!

This from a friend of the owners.

Just Chillin' is a quirky new restaurant on the west end of Ajijic. It is owned by three enterprising young Mexicans Juan Carlo, his wife Rene' and her sister Paulina. The restaurant opened several months ago and was an instant hit. The food is good, the prices are some of the best in town and they are all super friendly. Just Chillin' has found the recipe for success.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the restaurant was robbed and vandalized. I went there late Tuesday and saw the destruction first hand. The place was destroyed. All the food from the fridge and liquor was stolen, cabinet doors were ripped from their hinges, everything was turned upside down and huge piles of papers, bottles, decorations were piled on the floor. They even destroyed the blow-up penguin which is their trademark. This is devastating to the owners as you can imagine.

The worst part is it is the work of a competing restaurant. The owners have received threats like "get out of town, you don't belong here" and "you are stealing business from our restaurant". These threats began shortly after their opening but it has been quiet for a couple months. Just this weekend LCS asked Juan Carlos to manage the snack bar. This may have been the tipping point and the competing restaurant or restaurants took this cowardly action. Instead of raising their own standards, the perpetrators decided to try and destroy the competition.

I, for one will support this restaurant even more and show the criminals that this tactic doesn't work, if anything it will backfire on them. I hope everyone will support Just Chillin' and let them know the local community is behind them. These young entrepreneurs don't deserve anything but love and support.

How do you know this was done by a competing restaurant? The reason I am asking is because I certainly would not want to give any support whatsoever to this competing restaurant. Will the public ever be told who did this?

David wrote:

The worst part is it is the work of a competing restaurant.  The owners have received threats like "get out of town, you don't belong here" and "you are stealing business from our restaurant".

And the name of the competing restaurant is???

More rumors is what we all need. Since the competing restaurant cannot be named, why even bring it up?

Why can't it be named?  Word of mouth could give them more grief than they ever dreamed of.  Most people would simply never patronize them again.

The question is: If it was "competing", would it have been another Mexican food restaurant, or just another one wishing they had more business.  That much info wouldn't require naming names.

In any case, whoever did this to them has not only poor ethics; they have seriously flawed reasoning.  We don't go to a restaurant because the other one we liked has been closed:  we go to places where the food is good, the service pleasant and the prices in line with the quality.  Chillin' had all of the above.  Some places will never achieve that state.

Isn't it possible that they received the threats and assumed it was  a competitor because of the wording, either written  or verbal, and can't identify the source.
Also there is the possibility that the threat source was not the perps in the actual robbery and vandalism.
Even if they think they know, they have to be very careful about stating such, without solid evidence, due to the law concerning defamation.
When they reopen, support them with your patronage.
And yes there is some "national xenophobia" among Mexicans, as these folks are from Queretaro.

slainte39 wrote:Isn't it possible that they received the threats and assumed it was  a competitor because of the wording, either written  or verbal, and can't identify the source.
Also there is the possibility that the threat source was not the perps in the actual robbery and vandalism.
Even if they think they know, they have to be very careful about stating such, without solid evidence, due to the law concerning defamation.
When they reopen, support them with your patronage.
And yes there is some "national xenophobia" among Mexicans, as these folks are from Queretaro.

Didn't realize they were "out of towners". And you're right. We shouldn't concern ourselves with the cause since it probably won't be known...........we should support them with our patronage.

Hmmm. I don't believe it was another restaurant. I believe they were extorted, refused to pay, and were "taught a lesson". It could've been worse.

No I do not believe for one second it was another restaurant either.

They could get themselves in a hip of trouble starting rumors or accusing another retaurant publically .