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In a Facebook post Sunday afternoon, owner Frank Ruiz announced the closing and attributed it to "ongoing economic and financial pressures."聽

He said the business had been struggling since the middle of last year. But when the AC started failing last week, that was the last straw.

"It was going to cost a lot to get it fixed. It just was the time to not lose any more money," Ruiz said.

Ruiz has been operating the restaurant and market at 7286 N. Oracle Road since taking it over two years ago from owners Todd and Sherry Martin. The restaurant was one of three the couple had opened to sell their tamales, but as their manufacturing and distribution business grew over the last handful of years, they decided to shift their focus to building the brand, Sherry Martin said Monday.聽聽

When their lease on Oracle Road came up for renewal in late 2024, they decided not to renew it.

Under an agreement with the Martins, Ruiz was able to continue using the Tucson Tamale name and to sell their tamales, "which he bought wholesale from us, just like anybody else would," Todd Martin explained.

Ruiz, who has worked in restaurants more than 20 years, had been with Tucson Tamale Co. for six years before taking over the northwest side store. He added "Market" to the restaurant's name and sold聽take-home frozen tamales, Tucson Tamale salsas and tortillas as well as hot and spicy Mexican candy from Tucson-based .

The restaurant's menu was centered on tamales, available ala carte and as an entree, and also offered burritos, salads, street corn nachos and other Mexican dishes.

Around the middle of last year, Ruiz noticed that "everything started to slowly take a downward spiral" as the cost of living outpaced consumer pocketbooks.

When gas prices spiked early this year as a result of the Iran war, that downward spiral continued.聽

Ruiz said he had been considering closing the restaurant for more than month when the air conditioning started to go out last Thursday. He posted a note in all caps on the front door letting customers know they were closed for the day.聽

By Sunday afternoon, he had decided to permanently close.聽

"Summers in Arizona are rough for any business, especially restaurants," Ruiz said. "It was rough last year, but it's worse this year,"

Tucson Tamale Market is the second longtime Tucson restaurant to close in less than a week. Brother John's Beer, Bourbon & BBQ on North Stone Avenue closed last Tuesday after 11 years.聽