For a while there, it looked like we might be getting one of our two Togo’s Sandwiches eateries back in Santa Clarita.  The location in “North Valencia” (Where Newhall Ranch and Copper Hill met, between Dink’s and Juice It Up) closed last year just a few short months after the “Central Valencia” location (Magic Mountain and McBean, Target shopping center) shuttered.  The aficionados of the Northern California based sandwich chain are few but fierce, and despite the dozens of critical comments on Yelp about the poor service, poor management and overall poor experience that many had, the closing broke a lot of Claritan Foodie hearts.

Early this year, we heard that there might be some hope.  A possible reopening of Togo’s at the northern location.  In April, an eagle-eyed foodie spotted a “Now Hiring” sign in the window.  Togo’s corporate confirmed in a call that an experienced and successful franchisee would be coming in to take over the location and be opening as early as the first week in May.

But, May came and went, and there was no opening.  But, this wasn’t completely unexpected.  Togo’s was to be rolling out a new menu, new branding, new image in the second week of June (as in, last week…) and that they may hold off until then, just because it made more sense.

And, the re-branding and the new menu turned out to be not much more than a corporate executive shuffle and a new turkey sandwich (they put the meat ON TOP OF THE VEGGIES NOW… I guess), and oh yeah, a couple new menu boards, etc.

But, perhaps the most disappointing news came today… when legal paperwork was found taped to the front door, indicating that the landlord had begun eviction proceedings against the occupant.  At the time of publication, eatSCV is not able to determine if the occupant named in the documents posted are the current or former franchisee, however an address listed for the company is another Togo’s location in Irvine.

Megan Olsen, Regional Marketing Manager for Togo’s Eateries Inc. confirmed the bad news.

“The existing franchisee for the Valencia site is unable to open the restaurant at this time” she said in an email this afternoon, adding “Togo’s is exploring other alternatives to open this store as soon as possible to serve the local community.”

So, fans of Togo’s… unfortunately, we won’t see a re-emergence of the store quickly it doesn’t seem.  But, that doesn’t mean they’re not trying…