The Sloppy Donkey has cleaned itself up.
The bar near High Street and Frambes Avenue went through a transformation into Mexican restaurant Las Maracas after its owner had a personal revelation.
Owner Chris Flores opened the Sloppy Donkey in January 2009 and started to slowly make renovations to the building about a month ago, while The Sloppy Donkey was still in its place.
After running the bar for about three years, Flores said he realized he no longer wanted to contribute to students getting “blackout drunk.”
“I have a really big moral dilemma with getting students really drunk,” Flores said.
He said he has always been a believer in God, but months ago, God spoke to him through multiple people and made him realize owning Sloppy Donkey was no longer what he wanted to do.
“If I say I believe in God and I am helping students, young adults to get trashed or blacked out,” Flores said. “To know I was taking part in that was a big problem for me as a believer.”
Since Flores knew he couldn’t just say he was done with the bar and walk away, he said he had two options – sell or renovate. He said he tried to sell, but it didn’t work out.
About a month ago, Flores’ business started it’s transformation from a bar into a Mexican restaurant. He knew it would be a challenge, but he was up for it.
“I know it’s a lot of work and a huge undertaking, but the hardest part is over, which was last month, the remodeling, working and overseeing it,” Flores said.
Katie Fellure, a fourth-year in pharmaceutical sciences, said although the quick change seems a little odd, people should “always be true to your morals and beliefs and how you feel.”
Maggie Maley, a first-year in education, said she had never been to the Sloppy Donkey, but felt the change short-ended students.
“It sucks for the students that enjoyed the bar,” Maley said. “At least he was honest with everyone about the change.”
Maley also said that if he felt he was negatively affecting people, then it was good for him to clear his conscience.
Flores said that the location will sell alcoholic drinks such as margaritas, and that it hasn’t gone alcohol-free in the transition.
Flores said he is 100 percent happy with his decision and glad that he made the choice to change his bar.
“I knew what I was doing wasn’t right to me anymore,” Flores said. “However, that doesn’t mean I think down upon other bars or owners.”
Las Maracas has only been open for about a week, but Flores said it will have a grand opening in a month or so when all renovations are complete to welcome in new customers.