When news broke earlier this month that Henry’s Tacos would close its doors following a battle between the stand’s owners and its landlord, customers lined up to get one last taco. Owner Janis Hood, 57, whose grandfather Henry opened the Studio City business and gave it its name 51 years ago, has been overwhelmed by the response. “I knew we were kind of a neighborhood institution,” she said. “Now I really know how many people really love Henry’s.” The stand will close by New Year’s Day after its landlord objected to a historic and cultural status sought by Hood, claiming it would lower the value of the property at Moorpark Street and Tujunga Avenue. Celebrities including Elijah Wood and Colin Hanks have tweeted about the taco stand. Hanks’ father, actor Tom Hanks, has eaten at Henry’s for more than 30 years. On Dec. 16, comedian George Lopez paid for customers’ tacos for an hour, picking up a $945 tab. Hood, who has managed the family stand since 2009, said she’s been interviewed by several newspapers, radio stations and television stations. Hood doesn’t want to see Henry’s go under, but if it does, she would like to pursue her master’s degree in psychology. She previously taught high school Spanish. Whatever happens, though, Hood doesn’t want to see the stand lose its authenticity if another owner takes over. “I don’t want it to become some cookie-cutter garbage,” she said. “There may still be an eleventh-hour resolution.” – Bailey Brewer
Last Stand For Historical Taco Spot?
