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Four businesses have reopened within the former Lote 23 gastronomic park in Santurce, Puerto Rico, following its abrupt closure earlier this month, hoping to revive their operations and attract both returning and recent customers.
The closure of Lote 23, announced on February 4th, 2026, by CEO Cristina Sumaza, ended a decade-long run as a culinary incubator for small businesses in San Juan. Sumaza cited structural changes and the current economic reality, including rising operational costs and a broader economic contraction, as factors making the park’s operating model unsustainable. Since its opening in 2016, Lote 23 hosted over 90 small gastronomic businesses, many of which evolved into established restaurants or mobile businesses across the island.
The decision to close Lote 23 was described as the culmination of a mission accomplished – to create opportunities for small food businesses – rather than a complete farewell, according to Sumaza’s statement. However, the closure prompted concern from Senator Ada Álvarez Conde, who warned that it signaled the vulnerability of small businesses to the current economic climate and high energy costs in Puerto Rico.
Despite the closure of the larger park, the four remaining businesses have been granted approval by the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) to continue operating in the same location. They are now focused on bolstering their individual businesses and attracting a renewed clientele. The reopening represents an attempt to preserve a portion of the culinary ecosystem that Lote 23 fostered.
Lote 23 quickly became known as a “real-world learning laboratory,” providing entrepreneurs with affordable space to test concepts and build customer bases. The park’s closure marks the end of a project credited with transforming the local gastronomic and small-business landscape in Santurce.
