A famous Greek cuisine chain has finally decided to close its doors for good. Opa! Authentic Greek Cuisine, a household name to many in the Bay Area who love Mediterranean food, has made public its intentions to liquidate her assets and close down some locations after filing for bankruptcy.
The decision comes after years of trying to expand, coupled with financial difficulties that have grown over time and have rendered the company unable to continue operations.
Why did Opa! Authentic Greek Cuisine file for bankruptcy?
On September 19, Opa! Signature Foods filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy as per documents filed at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California. This essentially means that the company will sell off its assets to settle debts.
Court filings list the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Molly Adams, and her husband, Marcus Adams, as co-debtors, along with OPA Management Group. The filing shows that the company has between one and 49 creditors, with assets valued between $100,000 and $500,000, and similar amounts in liabilities.
Adams explained in the bankruptcy documents that after meeting with financial and legal advisors, the decision was made to move forward with liquidation. In her own words:
“It is desirable and in the best interests of the company, its creditors, and other parties in interest that a petition be filed by the company seeking relief under the provisions of Chapter 7 of Title 11 of the United States Code.”
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Which Opa! locations are closing in California?
The chain, known for dishes like gyro fries, falafel bites, Greek nachos, and seafood, once had several locations across the Golden State. As of September 24, the following Opa! restaurants are listed as closed on Yelp and Google:
- Campbell – 276 E. Campbell Ave.
- Morgan Hill – 17290 Monterey St.
- San Jose – 225 W. Santa Clara St.
- Santa Clara – 2722 Augustine Drive, Suite #130
- Walnut Creek – 1532 N. Main St.
The original San Jose restaurant opened in 2008 and quickly became popular with locals. For years, Opa! was known as a go-to spot for casual dining with a Greek twist.
How bankruptcy will affect customers and creditors
Since this is a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the company’s assets will be sold off to pay its creditors. That can include everything from equipment and furniture to intellectual property. Creditors who have liens or mortgages on Opa!’s property may have first rights to recover money.
For customers, this means the restaurants will not reopen under the same ownership. Gift cards or unused promotions are likely to be unusable, unless another group buys the assets and decides to honor them.
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What are people saying about the closures?
The news of Opa!’s closure has sparked reactions online, especially from customers who have fond memories tied to the restaurant.
On Facebook, one user recalled a personal moment:
“I miss when they were on the corner of Lincoln and Minnesota. First date with my partner.”
Others shared their disappointment at losing a favorite hangout. One customer wrote:
“The bottomless mimosas were a good time. The food went downhill.”
Some users were simply surprised, asking if locations had already closed as they planned to meet friends there in the coming weeks.
What happens next for Opa! and its restaurant group?
Molly Adams has been part of the Opa! brand since around 2010 and later founded the Hero Adams Restaurant Group in 2015. That group operates other restaurants such as Willard Hicks, Mo’s The Breakfast + Burger Joint, and Tac-oh!
For now, the bankruptcy filing focuses only on Opa! Authentic Greek Cuisine. What happens with the group’s other restaurants remains to be seen.
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