The final pour

After nearly 17 years in Las Cruces, Pecan Grill & Brewery is preparing to close its doors, ending a chapter that owners Tom and Jeanine Springer say was shaped as much by the people they met as the meals they served. 

The restaurant, located at 500 S. Telshor Blvd., will remain open during regular business hours through Sunday, Nov. 1. The Springers, who opened Pecan Grill in December 2009, are retiring following a business opportunity that will bring LongHorn Steakhouse to the property. 

The decision comes after years of operating a restaurant that became part of the community's dining scene, where the Springers built relationships with customers and watched employees develop their careers and families. Reflecting on the restaurant's nearly 17-year history, Tom Springer recalled the experiences that have stayed with him in written responses to the Las Cruces Bulletin. 

"The moments that stand out most after 17 years of serving Las Cruces are those times guests congratulated and thanked us, whether in person or on social media for a job well done," Springer said. "And our staff pulling together as a team to make the dining experience at Pecan Grill something really special." 

The restaurant's closure follows an opportunity that Springer said aligned with the couple's plans to retire. Although several corporate businesses had expressed interest in the location over the years, LongHorn Steakhouse ultimately emerged as the next tenant. 

"LongHorn Steakhouse made us a fair and legitimate offer, resulting in what we anticipate will be a long-lasting landlord/tenant relationship," Springer said. 

The Springers will retain a connection to the property through that arrangement, even as their years of running the restaurant come to an end. The family did not provide an anticipated opening date for LongHorn Steakhouse. 

Beyond the transition, the family is working to ensure that much of the restaurant's equipment and furnishings will continue serving others. Rather than discarding reusable materials, the Springers are arranging donations to nonprofit organizations. 

Ashley Springer, who worked in the restaurant's operations for many years, coordinated the effort. According to her father, most, if not all, of the furniture and equipment will go to food kitchen operations, including culinary education centers, food pantries and senior centers. 

Employees have also remained central to the family's reflections. Over the years, Pecan Grill employed students, young adults and people building careers in the restaurant industry, many of whom became part of the Springers' extended family. 

"We watched as they grew, matured, and raised families while becoming part of our family," Springer said. 

Those relationships developed alongside the restaurant's ties to longtime customers, some of whom became close friends of the family. In their original statement announcing the closure, Tom and Jeanine Springer expressed gratitude to the employees, neighboring businesses and residents who supported Pecan Grill since its opening. 

"This was not a decision we made lightly," the couple said in the statement. "Las Cruces has been an important part of our lives for so many years." 

With the restaurant's final weekend approaching, the family is encouraging residents to stop by, enjoy a meal and visit with the staff before operations end. 

As Pecan Grill prepares for its final days, the Springers hope the restaurant will be remembered for its contribution to Las Cruces and the broader Southern New Mexico restaurant industry, while its Telshor Boulevard location is set to welcome a new dining experience.