New London - With a "Gracias and Goodbye," Zavala Mexican restaurant will close its doors on Nov. 1 after 8-1/2 years of serving enchiladas verdes, mole con pollo, chihuahua chimichanga and margaritas from the foot of State Street.

Jim Loomis, a retired Coast Guard pilot who owns the restaurant with his daughter Genine Zavala, said Saturday that the decision to close was made after they were approached by someone who wanted to buy the business. Since the deal is not final, he declined to disclose the name of the potential new owner.

But the agreement to sell, he said, "is pretty firm.

"We've been considering closing for quite a while, and an opportunity came along," said Loomis, a Groton resident. "It certainly hasn't done as well as I thought it would. It just wasn't happening, for all the work my daughter put into it."

Rumors that the restaurant would close, circulating for more than a month, were made official in an advertisement placed in today's edition of The Day. In it, the owners thank the city and their clientele, and ask customers to stop by this week to say goodbye.

The restaurant is in leased space in a historic brick building owned by Alexander Bochain, who owns other downtown properties.

Zavala almost closed a year ago, when the owners said they were looking for a buyer because the recession had taken a toll on their business. Temporary closure of the sidewalk in front of the restaurant during construction of The Parade plaza had also deterred some customers.

In an article on The Day's website, customers said that part of the problem was that service at the restaurant had deteriorated. The owners then recommitted to the restaurant with a plan to restore good service and a "good vibe" and renewed their lease for another year.

While one restaurant prepares to end its time downtown, three new ones have opened recently or are preparing to open: Copperwood Grill on Eugene O'Neill Drive; the Lyric Cafe on State Street; and Me and Ma's on Bank Street.