Photo by Anna Mills

Loco Dogz was located at 313 1st Street.

After almost four years in business, the Cheney branch of Loco Dogz has closed due to a decrease in sales.

All that remained on the restaurant’s paper covered windows after March 5 was a note thanking the community for their support during the previous years.

“After much care and consideration, we have decided to close this location due to its limited sales volume. … We will continue to make the best dang dogs around at our Hamilton/Gonzaga location, and we hope to see you there,” the note read.

A second location near Gonzaga University still remains open. Kellen Munden, the general manager at the Spokane branch, said that any gift certificates purchased at the Cheney location are still redeemable in Spokane.

“I can tell you that Jimmy John’s opening had a little bit to do with it but also low sales numbers. I think the company wanted to move closer into Spokane,” Munden said.

Employees at the Cheney branch had the option to switch to other restaurants that are owned by the same company as Loco Dogz, instead of losing their jobs entirely.

Despite the restaurant closing, EWU students will not always have to travel into Spokane for a Loco Dog. Regional Manager Barb McCord says the company is planning on bringing a mobile kitchen trailer to Cheney on a weekly basis, tentatively starting April 24.

“We will be having the trailer out there three days a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, open for lunch probably from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Munden said.

McCord said the company does not plan to reopen another Loco Dogz in Cheney any time soon.

“We want to still be active in some events in the community and we can geographically get that trailer out there. The Loco Dogz concept is moving forward, we just had to make that decision to pull out of Cheney,” said McCord.