Azteca confirms move across street

The Azteca Mexican restaurant in downtown Spokane is planning to move across the street into the former Mustard Seed restaurant building.

David Hall, co-owner of Mustard Seed Inc., confirmed that Azteca purchased the two-story restaurant building at 245 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. Azteca is currently located at 200 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

“We finally sold our building,” Hall said. “They want to get this place rebuilt and be open as quickly as they can.”

Azteca is moving because its site is needed for the $80 million Spokane Convention Center expansion. The Spokane Public Facilities District, which is overseeing the expansion project, purchased the Mexican restaurant property for $4 million. That deal is due to close June 30, said Sherry Leatha, executive assistant to the PFD.

The Azteca restaurant currently occupies about 10,000 square feet, with room for 450 customers. The Mustard Seed building offers 7,200 square feet on the ground floor, with room for about 200 customers, Hall said. The second floor holds 2,000 square feet, but that space will be leased back to the Mustard Seed for its corporate offices, Hall said.

Azteca’s facility director did not return calls Friday.

The building closed as a Mustard Seed at the end of 2001 and had been listed for sale at $650,000. However, Hall would not disclose the final sale price.

Burien, Wash.-based Azteca Mexican Restaurants has 35 locations in Washington and Oregon, including three in Spokane. The Mustard Seed moved to NorthTown Mall after closing its downtown store and also has a Spokane Valley location.