Milton’s Restaurant is Closed … For Now

Owners of Milton’s Restaurant sold the business earlier this month. It is currently closed but is expected to reopen under a new owner and with a new name.

Milton’s Restaurant closed its doors earlier this month, but the long-time Albuquerque diner may not be gone for good.
Co-owner Issa Shokoohi confirmed that he sold the business to the owners of nearby Holy Cow, who he said will do some remodeling and then reopen an eatery under a new name.
Shokoohi, meanwhile, said he and his business partner plan to eventually revive the Milton’s brand at another location. He just hasn’t determined when and where that might be.
“We wanted a little bit of a break,” he said, “and 2013 we’ll start looking (for a new spot).”
Shokoohi bought the business, located at 725 Central NE, in 1988. The restaurant’s origins actually go back more than 30 years.
Shookoohi said he sold only the business but not the building. He didn’t disclose the financial terms but said the deal represented something of a retirement.
Though he estimated business had dropped as much as 25 percent in the past year, Shokoohi said Milton’s “was a good business for us for a long time,” with a loyal customer base that evolved into a network of friends.
“They supported us for a long time. I personally thank every one of them,” he said, adding that he promised many that he would get Milton’s going again someday.
Shokoohi said he didn’t know what the new owners had in store for the restaurant. A message left at Holy Cow was not immediately returned.