[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]acos 1986 is riding a whirlwind. After blowing up as an overnight success the taqueria was suddenly shut down Tuesday by the landlord of the property it was using to pop-up each night, a reminder of the volatile market conditions for new food trucks in Los Angeles.
But by Wednesday morning, taquero Victor M. Delgado told L.A. Taco they are currently in negotiations to get the spot back.
“Last night, I had a conversation with a friend who happened to be close with him,” Delgado explained. “So [my friend] said he would approach [the landlord] this morning to try and get us a meeting, and explain that we are not bad people, or trying to take advantage of anything.”
There’s a perfectly good explanation, Delgado said, which is basically that they didn’t realize they needed permission from the property owner of the lot where the Confection Co-op coffee shop is located. “We dealt with the owner of the coffee shop and not the landlord," Delgado said. "So he wasn’t happy about that.”
Pop-ups have to deal with location changes often, and Tacos 1986 has only been operating for a month. The business has already gotten offers from places like Sara’s Market in East L.A. to host the popular taqueria permanently. The bigger deal is that the Hollywood community would lose something special.
Part of what made Tacos 1986 an instant hit is that it filled a giant gap in the Hollywood street food scene by bringing the community superb Tijuana-style tacos. It did it with flare too. The normally dead parking lot – Tacos 1986 operates after most the businesses in the area are closed for the night – came to life with corridos, banda, trompos, flying tortillas, a dancing chef.
After Tacos 1986 announced closure via Instagram, the comments poured in with people all around L.A. offering their front yards, apartments, and even a spot down in Lynwood at Plaza Mexico. Whatever Tacos 1986 is doing, it's resonating with the taco community.
For now, with nowhere to make tacos, Delgado and his partner, chef Jorge “El Joy” Alvarez-Tostado, are also feeling the loss. “We’re sad,” Delgado said. “It feels weird not to be open, man.”
RELATED: 'El Joy Dreams of Tacos' ~ Tacos 1986 Brings Tijuana-Style Tacos and a Dancing Chef to Hollywood
