Barracuda Bistro and Bar will be permanently relocating to Crown Street after 10 years as a Chapel Street staple.

The restaurant's glass facade has hinted at changes for weeks, with blue letters on the windowsill spelling out "Blue Tortuga" to signal Barracuda's transformation into a Colombian eatery. While Barracuda will close on Oct. 12 and open its downtown branch in November, Blue Tortuga will officially open on Oct. 15.

"Our friend Carmen Huertas is opening the Blue Tortuga," Barracuda owner Sonia Salazar said. "I'm extremely excited to not only unveil the new design of Barracuda downtown but also to assist another Latina in becoming a business owner and entrepreneur." Though Barracuda and Blue Tortuga are separate entities, both bistros offer Latin American food and drinks.

Salazar's two decades in the food industry before launching Barracuda provided her with the essential experience to operate a restaurant and advise others on small business ventures. She notes that launching a business in the United States is challenging, and she's continually on the lookout for Latina entrepreneurs, like Huertas, whom she can help.

Huertas is originally from Colombia but has lived in West Haven for the last 25 years. She previously worked with Salazar, at Barracuda, for 15 years before she considered opening Blue Tortuga this year.

Salazar attributes Barracuda's move to Crown Street to the success of her other restaurants, Te Amo Tequila and 80 Proof. "Post-pandemic these restaurants have been thriving," she said. Thus, as Salazar considered moving downtown "everything seemed to fall into place" as Huertas expressed the need for a restaurant venue.

"Sonia helped me with everything," Huertas said. "When she said she was moving her restaurant downtown, I expressed interest in the place and she said 'Okay go ahead!'" The two women have known each other for the past 20 years.

In late September, Unidad Latina en Acción boycotted six New Haven enterprises accused of labor exploitation. Salazar's restaurants, Te Amo Tequila, 80 Proof and Barracuda, were all boycotted in this process. Salazar refused to comment on the ULA protests against Barracuda.

John Jairo Lugo, the co-founder of ULA New Haven, attributed the citywide boycott to trends of immigrant worker mistreatment across restaurants in the city.

When contacted by the News, he was unaware of Barracuda's closure and stated "We will stop any boycotts against the venue if it's proven that the new business belongs to someone else."

As Huertas succeeds Salazar by running a Latin American restaurant in Barracuda's place, she expressed excitement for what the new venture may bring.

"My number one goal is for students to come here," Huertas said. "This place is not too big or not too small, it's perfect for me."