Hungry patrons turned away from El Pueblito on Forest Hills Boulevard after a sign was posted on the door Thursday. The sign explained the restaurant was closed as part of the "Day Without Immigrants" protest.
NPR reported the day was "a combination boycott/strike that highlights the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and culture," and the movement started as a response to President Trump's stances on immigration, which includes promises to wall off the U.S-Mexico border and a travel ban, which is currently on court-ordered hold.
El Pueblito staff declined to comment.
One Bella Vista resident, Conrad Lundquist, stopped by the restaurant in the early afternoon after hearing about the closing on social media -- he wanted to make sure the sign was, in fact, real.
He said he swings by and eats at the Mexican place after church every Sunday, and eats there as often as three times each week. El Pueblito serves the best Mexican food in the area, he said.
"They have good food, they have good service, they have good prices," he said. "We love coming here."
He's worked, socialized and gone to church with Mexican-Americans, he said.
As far as immigration goes, he said, his grandparents immigrated from Germany and Sweden, and he believes that, like they did, people coming into the United States should do so legally.
Bella Vista resident Allen Sedwick said he recently moved into the area from Southwest Missouri.
"I figured I'd come up here and try it out," he said. Moments earlier he found the restaurant's door locked. "But if they're closed I guess I can't. I wish I knew what that Day Without Immigrants was all about."
Sedwick ended up heading next door to Rhythm and Q for some barbecue.
Rich Siker, proprietor of Rhythm and Q, said this was the same story he saw all day.
"We were on wait," he said, describing the day's lunch rush. "We were slammed. It was really good."
He made roughly $1,000 more than usual on lunch alone that day.
This, he said, is revenue El Pueblito missed out on, and he isn't sure how that is actually helpful.
It would be more constructive, he said, for immigrants to work to help others get into the country legally and obtain citizenship, even if that does prove to be a difficult, expensive process, as opposed to helping people get into the country unlawfully and then hide from authorities.
Siker said he has had several Hispanic friends and coworkers over the years, but he thinks closing like this sends the wrong message.
"Skipping school, skipping work, what's that going to do but create animosity?" he asked.
Business on 02/22/2017