'My heart sank:' Families say South El Monte party venue abruptly shut down before celebrations

SOUTH EL MONTE, Calif. (KABC) -- Families who were planning Quinceañeras, Sweet 16s and weddings said a Southern California party venue abruptly shut down before their events, leaving them scrambling to salvage milestone celebrations.

Evelyn Guzman said she spent three years preparing for her daughter's Sweet 16, making monthly payments to The Rustic and Chic Co. to secure its South El Monte venue.

"My heart sank," Guzman said after arriving to see the property vacant and overgrown. She had scheduled the celebration for June 20. "I cried. I've been crying for like the last weeks."

"I have invitations, I have vendors, I'm losing money," she said. "I invested in this to get my daughter, my only daughter, the best Sweet 16 ever."

Guzman told 7 On Your Side Investigates she has paid the company $20,251.56.

Another mother, Genien Guaderrama, also booked the venue for her daughter Jazlyn's Sweet 16, a celebration that was meant to honor her daughter's survival after battling cancer.

"We said if she was going to survive, that I was going to do everything in my power to make this day happen for her," Guaderrama said. "This is why we did this whole big Sweet 16."

But on August 30, 2025, just a week before the event, Guaderrama said someone from The Rustic and Chic Co. called to say the venue had been ordered shut down.

"She then went and proceeded to say that she would relocate us to a smaller venue, but that she was not going to give us any money back," Guaderrama said. "I almost fainted. I was in shock."

City records show South El Monte issued a "Warning Notice" about a month earlier, ordering Rustic and Chic to "cease and desist business activity immediately" for operating an "unpermitted event hall."

The city had granted the company a Conditional Use Permit in 2023, but in February 2025, staff recommended revoking it, citing a lack of building safety approvals, an incomplete business license process requiring Los Angeles Fire

Department clearance, and the absence of a Sheriff's Department-approved security plan.

Rustic and Chic owner Juan Mendez and his wife Sandra, who helps run the business, appeared before the South El Monte City Council in May 2025.

At that meeting, the council upheld the revocation and approved a six-month winddown period requiring compliance with health and safety standards.

Mendez declined an interview with 7 On Your Side Investigates but provided a written statement saying, in part, "Rustic operated with approval from the City of South El Monte through a valid business license and Conditional Use Permit. However, through no fault of Rustic, those permissions were unexpectedly and abruptly revoked without the promised wind-down period...we believe the City's actions were unfair, unlawful, and caused harm not only to our business, but to the very people we serve...We are confident that, through the legal process, the full truth will come to light and that the City of South El Monte will be held accountable for the harm caused to our business and our clients."

Irma Colin, who booked the venue for her daughter's Quinceañera, said she received an email on October 22, 2025, stating Rustic and Chic was "forced to close the doors to our South El Monte location."

That message came about a month before her event and three months after the cease and desist order.

Colin took the company to small-claims court. During her hearing, Mendez made comments to the judge that surprised Colin.

"They were actually accepting money from us in order to keep the venue open basically," Mendez is heard saying in court audio. "They were going behind the scenes and saying, if you pay this amount of money to keep the communications open, we'll grant you a little bit longer time until you get your permits."

Mendez went on to say, "It was very shady. So, we ended up paying about $17,000 to keep the venue open to extend our time."

Colin later shared her experience with the South El Monte City Council. City Manager Rene Salas said the city is working with an independent, licensed investigator, but also noted the matter was referred to the District Attorney's Office, which "found insufficient evidence to support prosecution."

Salas defended the revocation process, saying, "Conditions of approval were established and communicated during the entitlement proceeding. The applicant failed to perform in accordance with those conditions. All applicable appeals and revocation procedures were conducted in full compliance with the City's Municipal Code."

Colin ultimately won her small claims case, with a judge ruling Rustic and Chic owes her $9,725.

Guaderrama said the company refunded her $3,000 and offered another $3,000 if she agreed not to post negative reviews - an offer she says she declined. Her daughter Jazlyn held her Sweet 16 at a different venue.

"I've been battling cancer and it's a big celebration," Jazlyn said.

Guzman said Rustic and Chic offered to repay her in monthly installments over 20 months, which she says is unacceptable. She has filed a breach of contract lawsuit while trying to piece together a new celebration.

"I did find another venue," she said. "It's a decent venue. It's what we could afford now ... It's not what I wanted and not what she wanted."

Rustic and Chic continues to operate a separate party venue in the City of Commerce. According to the city, that location has no citations and the company holds a valid license to operate there.