Barrio Logan landmark, Las Cuatro Milpas, sells for more than $2M

Las Cuatro Milpas, a Barrio Logan icon that has served Mexican food for nearly a century, has been sold for $2.21 million and will likely close its doors sometime next month.

The sale, first reported by SanDiegoVille, was recorded by the county on Friday and comes four months after it was first announced that the family who has long owned and run the restaurant had formally listed the property, as well as an adjoining parcel it owns. The original listing price was $1,995,000, which covered two commercial buildings, eight upstairs residential units that are currently unoccupied, three garages and parking.

“It was very competitive,” real estate broker Voltaire Lepe said of the listing. “A lot of people wanted the property, both developers, owner/users, and investors, so there were lots of offers and we were able to negotiate the price up, which was fantastic for the sellers.”

Purchasing the two properties is Iglesia del Dios Vivo Columna Inc., which is identified in county records as the owner of the Light of the World Church and the property on which it sits, which are next door to Las Cuatro Milpas. Over the years, there were rumors that the church had been interested in acquiring the property but the ownership had not publicly discussed its interest. Emails and phone calls seeking comment from individuals associated with the church owner were not answered on Tuesday.

While there is not a firm date for when the Logan Avenue eatery will cease operations, restaurant co-owner Margarita Hernandez said Tuesday morning that it will most likely close sometime in December, hopefully after the holidays. But the new owner does not want the restaurant, she said. Asked if Las Cuatro Milpas might reopen elsewhere, Hernandez said she did not know.

“I would rather be working, but the government makes it hard to run a business,” she said as she rang up customers’ food orders.

Long before the restaurant was put up for sale, the business and the property had incurred significant tax debt. However, family members never acknowledged that the decision to list the property was driven by financial distress. As of July, it owed $60,000 in county property taxes and $130,000 in other tax liens, including $103,000 in unpaid sales tax owed to the state of California for the past several years.

It’s unclear whether those tax debts were paid off as part of the sale, as government offices were closed Tuesday for Veterans Day and officials were unavailable to answer questions. Lepe said that for the sale to go through, a clear title was needed, meaning the property could have no outstanding liens or legal claims. He was unable to say, however, how the tax debt was paid and by whom.

The transfer of ownership marks the end of an era for the familiar Mexican eatery that sees customers lining up outside its door most every day it is open. It has served the community since 1933, when Petra and Natividad Estudillo opened Las Cuatro Milpas, known for its rolled tacos, burritos, tamales, and handmade flour tortillas. Two older sisters continue to run the eatery, but they’re ready now to retire, Lepe said.

San Diego broker Nate Benedetto of Next Wave Commercial said he had a local client who had been very interested in either buying the restaurant itself or the rights to the name or its concept, but he was unable to elicit any interest from the sellers.

“We think it has tremendous value, but one of the principals was strongly opposed and wouldn’t respond to an offer,” Benedetto said. “My contact learned that this one person didn’t even want to transfer the rights to a family member, so they seem adamant on having no more tacos.

“The loss is a big deal because this is one of the longest-standing restaurants in all of San Diego, and it’s dearly loved. There will be a lot of sad people who loved the food and what they brought to the community, but nothing lasts forever.”