Update 6/2/18: Well some great news! This Baja Fresh location has re-opened after extensive renovations were made.

The 2nd oldest Baja Fresh location in a chain that was once as many as 300 eateries has closed its doors effective 6/29/17. Located at 30861 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Westlake Village (at Lindero Canyon), this location originally opened in July 1991. The original Newbury Park location on Kimber Drive opened in 1990, then later moved to The Village at Newbury Park, where ultimately it closed its doors on January 10, 2012.

Jennifer W tipped us off on the CVG Facebook Page about this.  The doors are locked, the inside is in a bit of disarray and the phone number is not in service. A phone call to the Thousand Oaks Baja Fresh on Moorpark Road confirmed that the Westlake Village location is closed.

All this said, this was a franchised location of Baja Fresh, so there is an outside possibility of someone else picking it up. We shall see what happens.

Baja Fresh is a local success story, culminating in its acquisition by Wendy's in 2002 for $275 million. The chain grew to roughly 300 locations. But then things went downhill. Wendy's sold the chain for just $31 million in 2006. Baja Fresh and its subsidiary since 2007, La Salsa, were sold again last September for $27 million.

There are two Baja Fresh locations in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. So next time you're in the United Arab Emirates, grab me a Baja Burrito. I've been a Baja Fresh fan all these years and wish the best for remaining locations in the area.