St. Petersburg's Red Mesa Group is shuttering yet another of its restaurants. The company announced Wednesday that Mercado West, its Cali-Mex concept at 6001 Central Ave., will permanently close on August 16, 2026 — less than a year after opening in October.
In a social media post, Red Mesa Group cited both economic pressures and its own business risks as factors in the decision, noting the team spent months attempting to adapt the concept before concluding it was no longer sustainable. The company said it has been working to transition as many Mercado West employees as possible into roles at its remaining restaurants.
The closure follows a rough stretch for the group. In early June, Red Mesa Cantina at 128 3rd Street S. in downtown St. Pete abruptly shut down with no explanation given at the time. That three-story property has since been purchased by Atlanta-based taco chain Rreal Tacos, which plans to open a multi-concept dining and hospitality destination there. The June closure also involved an events space, and Red Mesa Group noted that court proceedings temporarily restricted public communication about guest deposit refunds — though it said every affected client ultimately received a full refund.
Two Red Mesa Group locations are still operating: the original Red Mesa restaurant at 4912 4th Street N. and the Mercado location at 1100 1st Ave. N. in the Edge District.
This story was originally reported by Tiffany Razzano for Patch.
