Benton Park restaurant Arzola’s Fajitas & Margaritas (2730 McNair) has been sold. Founders Coby Arzola and Derek Fatheree confirmed that the sale of the restaurant was completed last week, though new owners Ron and Larisa Webb have in fact been operating the restaurant since August.
Arzola tells SLM that he and Fatheree had decided to sell the restaurant in order to focus on other priorities. “Life sometimes is evolutionary, and what may align with your hopes and dreams one day maybe doesn’t the next day, and that’s OK. And I think that’s exactly where we found ourselves.” Arzola adds that he “pretty affirmatively” won’t be opening any new restaurants in the future but stresses that he will be available to offer assistance to the the Webbs as they continue the transition.
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A statement from Arzola and Fatheree thanked customers for their support and expressed confidence that the Webbs will carry on where they left off. “For the past two and a half years, we’ve been delighted to welcome thousands of guests through our doors. Now, we’re thrilled to announce that we’re becoming guests ourselves, with deep gratitude and appreciation for everyone who’s been a part of this journey with us,” the statement read.
The New Owners
Arzola’s Fajitas & Margaritas will be the Webbs’ first foray into restaurant ownership, but the couple has extensive experience in restaurant operations, from working front- and back-of-house jobs to management and corporate roles. Their interest in buying Arzola’s, however, grew out of the experiences they had as customers at the restaurant. As Ron Webb tells it, they immediately fell for the restaurant.
“From walking in the door, we recognized that Coby and Derek had built something that truly cracked the code between exceptional food and true, genuine hospitality, and we were hooked immediately,” Ron says. “When we found out that they were passing the torch, we were just so excited. Then we got to actually meet them, and it made us even more excited, because not only was this an excellent restaurant…[but] they’re also really great, as far as offering support and being genuinely interested in the success of the business.”
After a few months of operating the restaurant, the Webbs like what they are seeing. “People come to Arzola’s to have it be a part of something else that they’re doing—they’re having a surprise party, they’re going on vacation, they’re celebrating an anniversary, they’re spending a night out while their kids are at home… Being able to know that eating at our restaurant now is a part of that they put on their schedule, they want to do, it’s extremely rewarding,” Larisa says. “It almost gives me chills, being able to stop by and talk to people and just see the impact that that food and that the experience can have.”
Arzola’s regulars will be glad to hear that the Webbs have no immediate plans to change that experience, though Coby Arzola did hint that customers may see some “evolutions” that have been in the works for some time but that were put on hold due to the sale.
“We just want to be able to continue what they did so well,” Ron says. “Our immediate goal is to continue to support the community, continue to serve great food, great genuine hospitality.”
The statement from Arzola and Fatheree expressed excitement about “the future of Arzola’s in Benton Park and beyond.” Does that hint at a possiblity of future expansion? While no firm plans are on the table, it’s a prospect the Webbs appear to be considering.
“We love it, and we would love to be able to bring it to more people,” says Larisa. “We feel like part of what makes it special is the way that it fits into the neighborhood, and we already see that there are a lot of places that I think would benefit from having it as part of their neighborhood.”
The Backstory
Coby Arzola and Derek Fatheree opened Arzola’s Fajitas & Margaritas in May 2022. Arzola’s father, Eddie Arzola, whose legendary restaurant Chuy Arzola was a Dogtown fixture for almost 20 years, also played a role in setting up Arzola’s for success. The restaurant racked up multiple St. Louis Magazine A-List awards over the past two years, including Best New Restaurant in 2023 and Best Mexican Restaurant earlier this year.
“We can say that we’ve been able to successfully transfer the ownership in a great place,” says Coby Arzola. “We are confident that not only will Ron and Larisa continue to take it forward and evolve and grow it, but we can look back and be absolutely proud—not only of the product that we put out every day and the reputation we have been able to build, but especially the people we’ve brought together, both from a team member and a community member perspective.”
