Tango Grill to Close on Oct. 5

Anyone seeking to get Argentinian food in Chelmsford should hurry, because the Tango Grill will be closing its doors on Friday.

Tango Grill owner Aric Becker sold the location to Kate Kelly of the Sugar Cupcake Shoppe, who bakes her cupcakes in Chelmsford before transporting them to her current location on Littleton Road in Westford.

After coming on board almost two years ago, the move marks the end of what was the first restaurant ownership in Becker's life, following a series of eateries he ran during his earlier years.

While he hopes to re-open a non-Argentinian restaurant at former restaurant location he was once at in Concord, it will be an emotional send off when he turns off the lights on Chelmsford Street for one last time.

"I'd just like to mention how appreciative I am to my customers, people in this town couldn't have been more welcoming to me or nicer to me," said Becker. "I felt like a member of the Chelmsford community."

Over the past few days, he's gotten comments from regular customers that noticed the signs advertising his closure, something he states technically goes against town bylaws.

While Becker said he thought highly of Chelmsford, he noted that small businesses need all the help they can get in difficult times to survive, whether it's allowing on-site advertising through signs and sandwich boards to a variety of other issues, although he said it wasn't a reason he was leaving.

"A town that doesn't bend over backwards to help a small business succeed isn't doing their job, that's Chelmsford or any town," he said. "This area is a little difficult in the historic district. I had the same thing in Concord with the same regulations, but that downtown area is a historic town and people walk around because that's how it's set up. Here, it's weird having restrictions when you have a Papa Gino's and a CVS across the street."

Becker's also quick to point out that the restaurant is not actually "going out of business," with the closure coming to Kelly offering an amount for the property too great to be ignored.

"I decided it was the best thing in my interest to do," said Becker, who declined to disclose the amount, but said he sold the location for the same amount he paid for it.

All this week, the Tango Grill will be reducing prices on drinks and providing free food samples in addition to added karaoke nights.