Tucson's historic El Charro restaurants are combining forces with Metro Restaurants, in a move one partner said "will increase the value and quality that our diners will experience."
"It's not for growth — this is a solidifying effort," said Ray Flores, the 39-year-old president of El Charro Café. "If growth comes from that, that's the natural and organic way it should."
Changes won't be noticeable to the public, Flores said. The two corporations will combine such behind-the-scenes duties as accounting.
"It's taking advantage of things in that it's taking the expenses of the day and spreading them so they're better absorbed," Flores said. "It's based on a mutual respect, not a legal one."
"I think El Charro has something no one else has," said Bob McMahon, owner of Metro Restaurants.
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"It's just a partnership of people with like ideas. We're looking for Ray Flores to put together a wonderful food group.
"Changes will be only for the better."
The October issue of Gourmet magazine named El Charro as one of the 20 Legendary Restaurants in America.
About a week ago, McMahon, 60, told his management team about the partnership. McMahon said he will be the chairman, while Flores will be president and CEO.
"Last time I checked, chairmen don't work as hard," said McMahon, laughing.
McMahon will focus his efforts on his two Green Valley golf courses, The Ranch Golf Club at the Wyndham Canoa Ranch Resort and Torres Blancas Golf Club, and on El Charro's commissary, a production facility that provides salsa and other foods to Bashas', Food City and other stores outside the restaurant group.
"We are going to grow the El Charro concept," McMahon said, adding that there are no plans to close any of the six Metro Restaurants. There are five El Charro locations in Tucson.
"We're going to try to tighten up our operations," he said. "I don't want to be the largest — I want to be the best."
McMahon and Flores have been partners at two El Charros — the locations at Speedway and Swan Road and at Orange Grove and Oracle roads — for about four years.
Both sides said that many of the reasons to join forces were practical.
"This relationship is a great way to align each other's strengths so we can provide a better product and service to our guests," said Rick Grinnell, director of marketing for Metro Restaurants.
"It's going to increase the opportunities for our staff, and it will increase the value and quality that our diners will experience," Flores said. "It will increase our presence in the community. It will allow us to naturally have a foundation for growth. We are strengthening our base."
Flores moved into his office Monday in the Metro Restaurants corporate office at 4644 E. Fort Lowell Road.
Before that, Flores quipped that his "office" was "in my BlackBerry and my car."
"I haven't even hung a picture yet."
The companies through the years
Metro Restaurants
• August 1996: Buys City Grill 6350 E. Tanque Verde Road.
• December 1996: Forms Metro Restaurants, a holding company.
• January 1997: Opens Metropolitan Grill, 7892 N. Oracle Road.
• April 1997: Opens Firecracker, 2990 N. Swan Road.
• August 1997: Forms McMahon Properties, consisting of land, retail and office space.
• November 1998: Opens McMahon's Prime Steakhouse, 2959 N. Swan Road.
• January 1999: Takes over two Keaton's Restaurants, at 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road and Foothills Mall, 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd.
• January 1999: Relinquishes Buddy's in Tucson and Buster's in Flagstaff.
• June 1999: Converts City Grill into Bob's Sports Grill.
• June 1999: Opens new City Grill (the former Tanque Verde Road Keaton's).
• August 1999: Takes over Coyote Grill and San Ignacio Golf Club, both in Green Valley.
• January 2000: Opens Old Pueblo Grille, 60 N. Alvernon Way, formerly the Cottonwood Cafe.
• February 2000: Becomes managing partner in The Tack Room.
• September 2000: Sells Coyote Grill and San Ignacio Golf Club.
• Oct. 27, 2000: Sells Bob's Sports Grill.
• May 2003: Tack Room closes.
• February 2003: Opens The Grill on the Green at Canoa Ranch Golf Course and announces plans for two Smokin' barbecue restaurants.
• September 2004: El Charro Cafe Del Norte at 100 W. Orange Grove Road replaces one of McMahon's two Smokin' restaurants.
• January 2005: Smokin' at 4699 E. Speedway closes with plans to reopen as a full-service El Charro restaurant.
• March 2005: Bob McMahon and Fairfield Homes President David Williamson purchase Torres Blancas Golf Club.
• July 2007: Metro Grill at Park Place closes.
• October 2007: Opens Smoke in McMahon's Prime Steakhouse, 2959 N. Swan Road.
• December 2007: Firecracker closes.
• February 2008: Opens Bistro Philippe, a collaboration with chef Philippe Trosch, in the space occupied by Firecracker at the time of the announcement.
• June 2008: Bistro Philippe, 2990 N. Swan Road, closes. Ristorante Italia, 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road, opens.
El Charro Café
• 1922: El Charro Café is opened on South Fourth Avenue by Monica Flin.
• 1930: Flin moves the restaurant to 330 S. Scott Ave., where the Temple of Music and Art now stands.
• 1935: El Charro moves again to 140 W. Broadway.
• 1968: Urban renewal forces another move. Flin moves the restaurant into what was once the family home built by her father, Jules Flin. The home at 311 N. Court Ave., was bequeathed to Monica Flin.
• 1972: Monica Flin's niece, Carlotta Flores, and Carlotta's husband, Ray Flores Jr., take over the restaurant as Flin's health began to fail.
• 1996: El Charro Aeropuerto opens on the third floor of the Tucson International Airport terminal and El Charro East opens at 6310 E. Broadway.
• 1997: The Flores family acquires Chonita Foods, a food-processing facility, at East 18th Street and South Euclid Avenue.
• 2004: El Charro Cafe Del Norte opens at 100 W. Orange Grove Road replacing McMahon's Smokin' at that location. It is a collaboration between McMahon and the Flores family.
• 2005: El Charro Speedway opens at 4699 E. Speedway, a site formerly occupied by McMahon's Smokin'. McMahon would oversee accounting and support services for the restaurant.
• 2006: El Charro leaves the airport to make room for new vendors.
• 2007: El Charro opens its fifth restaurant at Ventana Village Shopping Center at East Sunrise Drive and North Kolb Road.
