The Gulf Gate restaurant space that housed Kolucan Mexican Bar & Grill has new owners and a new name on the way.

Margarito Rosas, president of Sarasota-based Rosas Cast Stone, plans to reopen the 6644 Gateway Ave. location as Garibaldi Seafood Mexican Restaurant Bar & Grill, Sarasota Magazine reported Wednesday, Sept. 16. Rosas signed a new lease with the Melone family, which owns the building and the local Italian mini-chain Il Panificio.

Kolucan name remains during legal transition

But for now, the Kolucan name is still on the door. Legal reasons are keeping the old branding in place during the transition, and that has confused regulars who thought the original restaurant might be coming back.

Restaurant closed abruptly after three years

Kolucan closed abruptly on Friday, Sept. 4, after three years in the Gulf Gate neighborhood. Co-founder Gino Calleja said in a Sept. 14 Instagram post that rising food, labor and operating costs forced the decision. He said continuing would have meant compromising the quality and value guests deserved.

Calleja, who also owns Reyna's Taqueria at 935 N. Beneva Road, made clear he has no role in the new operation.

Nick Melone, whose family has owned the Gateway Avenue building for years, told Sarasota Magazine that Kolucan "closed the doors out of the blue" and sold its assets to the Melones. The family then brought in Rosas and his group under a fresh lease.

New team addresses closure confusion online

The new ownership posted on Kolucan's social media accounts Tuesday, Sept. 15, to clear up the confusion. The post said the incoming team includes a new chef and new staff, and that the Melone family had no involvement in the reasons Kolucan closed.

Space has long history of restaurant changes

The 170-seat space has a long restaurant history. Il Panificio operated there before Opus took over, followed by Kolucan in August 2023. Calleja and co-founder Jose Rojas built a following with upscale Mexican dishes like huachinango a la Veracruz and huitlacoche risotto.

Rojas, formerly the chef at the now-closed Louies Modern in downtown Sarasota, posted on Facebook on Sept. 8 that he intends to "eventually take another step forward" and "create something unique again."

No opening date announced yet

The name stays for now. No opening date for Garibaldi Seafood Mexican has been announced, and no timeline for the name change has been made public.