Known for its spicy, personalized dishes and family atmosphere, Marla's has been open for 14 years with 13 of those years at their 38th and Bloomington location. However, a change of building owners in 2017 brought about an unexpected rent hike and other issues.
"Rent went up to $3,000 a month," Marla said. "After ongoing battles and discussions, I decided in early June that enough was enough and that we would close our doors."
Support for Marla's poured in from the community, celebrities who frequented the restaurant, and a protest was even held on Thursday, June 13.
This isn’t an uncommon business story. But it is an uncommon people story. This place is one of the most remarkable restaurants in the Twin Cities and I hope everyone who reads this supports Marla’s by going and eating there! https://t.co/OMMjnQFq8J
— Andrew Zimmern (@andrewzimmern) January 25, 2018"It's almost like a funeral," Marla said. "People are bring plants, flowers, and just stopping by to get a hug from me. It's because of them that I am going to come back."
A GoFundMe has been set up to assist in finding a new spot for the restaurant, however there are no concrete plans to reopen at a new location.
Marla, a native of Trinidad, came to the United States in 1980 at the age of 15. Marla's originally opened in Uptown, but moved to its current spot in 2008.
"The neighborhood was known for drug dealers and prositution at the time," she said. "I personally went out and talked to these individuals and respectfully told them that things were going to be different. Things improved and some of them even became my customers. A few of the prostitutes went to college and became nurses."
Things will be different for Marla with the store no longer open. Her husband works for the Minnesota Department of Transporation, but Marla will have some time to fill, which isn't something she's too worried about.
