Macayo’s Mexican Food, a Phonix-based chain restaurant that has been around for nearly eight decades, has been sold to Horizon Hospitality.
The company first opened Woody’s El Nido in 1946 under Woody and Victoria Johnson before expanding throughout Arizona and Nevada with the help of their children. Eventually, the Johnson family renamed the restaurant to Macayo’s Mexican Food, closed the Nevada locations (which were owned by a separate company), and sold the remaining sites to Kind Hospitality in 2019. Now, after five years with the brand, Kind Hospitality has sold the restaurant to Horizon Hospitality, according to Phoenix New Times.
“We are excited to be part of the Macayo’s history, and are looking forward to nurturing the brand to greater heights, and can’t wait to have our Horizon Hospitality team share this great brand with residents in the Colorado market,” Lucas Farnham, owner of Horizon Hospitality, said in the release.
Horizon Hospitality started franchising in 2011 with several Black Bear Diner locations in Colorado, where Farnham plans to eventually open new locations of Macayo’s Mexican Food. As the company goes through the change of ownership, Horizon Hospitality said they will keep all current employees. The location found at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport will continue to be operated by Kind Hospitality.
“It has been five years since the torch of culinary tradition was passed from the family of Woody Johnson to Kind Hospitality,” Nava Singam, owner and CEO of Kind Hospitality, said in the release. “Now, we are thrilled to pass the torch to another family-owned restaurant group, Horizon Hospitality, led by Lucas Farnham. It has been an honor to build the brand over the past five years, and we believe the continued growth and success of Macayo’s is in the best of hands with Horizon Hospitality. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our amazing team, loyal guests and the communities that have helped Macayo’s thrive and continue to be an Arizona tradition. We are excited for the future of Macayo’s and can’t wait to share it with our neighboring states.”
