For nearly eight years, the San Diego Cantina restaurant in East Memphis has sat empty, not serving so much as a burrito while the interior lights and large sign remain illuminated at night, seemingly beckoning customers into the eatery.

During that entire time, the owners of the once-popular Mexican restaurant have continued to pay rent and utilities at an estimated cost of more than $1.3 million.

Ask the Memphian: Has Memphis ever had an art heist like the Louvre?

This has sparked curiosity in people who travel the area or once enjoyed the restaurant’s fare, so much so that conspiracy theories have started flying across social media.

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