Needham Restaurant Opening After Delays From Government Shutdown

NEEDHAM, MA — A new Mexican restaurant finally has plans to open this summer after the month-long government shutdown delayed its plans. Dedham's Pancho's Taquiera wanted to open a second restaurant at 1450 Highland Avenue in Needham in March.

The restaurant needs construction work before it can open. But owners Carlos Chavira and Nohely Chavira-Williams's plans were put on hold because they could not get their $220,000 loan request processed with the Small Business Administration during January's federal government shutdown, the owners told the Needham Times.

"We wasted a month and a half of planning," Chavira told the Needham Times. "We couldn't do anything really, because we didn't have the money to continue with the project."

Chavira said he's expecting the building inspector to approve construction sometime in the next two weeks and then will seek a permit from the Board of Health and Select Board. If all goes according to plan, Pancho's Taquiera will open sometime in mid-July.

For more on this story, check out the Needham Times.