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Blaze Pizza, Rusty Taco close New Mexico locations
Two of the three restaurants were located at Coronado Center
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Two chain restaurants have ceased operations in the Land of Enchantment.
Blaze Pizza and Rusty Taco recently closed all of their New Mexico locations, signage at the locations showed in December.
The casual fast-food restaurants had three total locations in the state, which all appeared to close simultaneously. Blaze Pizza left behind two stores at 6600 Menaul NE and 6400 Holly NE. Rusty Taco exited one unit, also located at 6600 Menaul NE.
The Menaul locations are situated next to each other at Coronado Center. The two companies do not appear to be corporately connected in any way, and it is unclear what led to the coincidentally timed closures.
Neither company, nor the owner of Coronado Center, Brookfield Properties, responded to the Journal’s requests for comment.
Blaze Pizza opened both its New Mexico locations in 2017, according to Journal archives. It is unclear when the Rusty Taco opened.
The departures came amid an onslaught of restaurant closures toward the end of 2025. In recent months, Albuquerque said goodbye to Range Cafe’s Downtown location, all Bosque Brewing Co. taprooms, Sobremesa, Voodoo Girl Pies & Pints and The Farmacy.
“It seems like there were a lot of closures,” Colliers Vice President and retail expert Ben Perich said this week. “I feel like it was every couple days for a while there.”
Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.
