The banner above Oporto Restaurant in the Glendora Promenade advertises the store’s opening in June 2011.
But come September, the restaurant has yet to open its doors.
According to Arnold Dominguez, CEO of Cluck Limited, the holdup has been in the opening of the new Oporto restaurant in Ontario, causing delays in its Glendora location near the also vacant Fresh and Easy store.
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“We did encounter several delays in opening our Ontario location which in turn caused serious delays for the opening of the Glendora location,” said Dominguez. “The good news is that Ontario is now open.”
Dominguez said the Glendora location should open within 60-75 days.
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Marketed as the Aussie answer to In & Out, Oporto began on Bondi Beach in Australia about 30 years ago for surfers looking for something healthy, yet hearty after a long day tackling the waves. Named after the original creator's hometown in Portugal, these Portuguese-style chicken burgers have become popular fast food staple in Australia.
The restaurant chain has expanded to 117 restaurants in Australia, with three in the UK.
Dominguez opened the first U.S. Oporto restaurant in Rancho Cucamonga in February. To make up for the delay in the Glendora opening, Dominguez is offering a 10 percent discount on orders for Glendora residents if they make it out to the Rancho Cucamonga or Ontario locations.
Glendora’s Grand Promenade has been plagued with delayed store openings and vacancies.
It’s major anchor, the Fresh and Easy grocery store, remains vacant after two years. Fixtures and signage have been installed and the store is ready to operate, but its actual opening date remains unknown.
According to Adam Voelker, project manager for Abbey Co., the Long Beach-based developer and lessor for the Promenade Center property, the 14,000 square-foot-store will open until a set sales threshold is met at the chain’s Covina and Azusa locations.
While the store remains closed, the company continues to pay rent.
As a result of the country’s economic downturn, major retail stores have been forced to delay openings, said Voelker.
“But it’s not typical,” he said.
Current tenants at the Grand Promenade include Flame Broiler and Osuna’s Mexican Grill restaurants, along with health and medical facilities.
Patch writer Chuck Harvey contributed to this article.
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