The owner of La Fiesta, a Mexican restaurant in Albany, said he has bought Grandma's Pies & Restaurant and plans to reopen it next month.

Alex Morales said he bought the business, which closed last weekend, for an undisclosed amount earlier this week. He plans to keep the staff and products the same and said he has reached out to former employees about returning to the restaurant.

Several have already found new jobs, but Morales expects 90 percent to return to Grandma's, he said in an interview Saturday.

"It's a great business and it's been there for so many years," Morales said. "In Albany, everybody knows Grandma's."

Morales, who is also the former owner of the now-closed Tango Restaurant Bar & Grill, said his focus at Grandma's will be on customer service and ensuring that customers are pleased with their experience.

"Myself or another guy will be checking every table," he said.

The restaurant and pie shop at 1273 Central Ave., so beloved for its desserts that police had to control traffic every Thanksgiving to handle the flood of cars lining up to buy pies, announced earlier this month that it would be closing after 42 years.

No reason was given for the closure, but manager D'Arcie Degener told the Times Union on July 8 that co-owners Dave Houle and Ron Raylinski could not keep up with the rents. After learning the news, fans flocked to the restaurant to enjoy a final meal and slice of pie before Grandma's shut its doors last weekend. "Thank you all & farewell," the restaurant posted in a Facebook photo on July 15.

People took to the Grandma's Facebook page to mourn the closing. One person, commenting on a photo, wrote "Why do you keep showing these pictures? Wish you'd show one and say surprise ... opening in our new place is ... just so sad that cozy restaurant with all that delicious food and pies is just a memory now."

She got her wish. The restaurant posted a comment in response Friday, writing that they were planning to reopen Aug. 1 with new ownership while retaining staff.

"We'd like to reopen it as soon as possible," Morales said Saturday.

miszler@timesunion.com • 518-454-5018 • @madisoniszler