One Man's Crusade to Bring Back Taco Bell

Graphic designer and life-long East Northport resident Robert Ryan has launched a one-man campaign to bring back the Larkfield Road Taco Bell, closed for roughly seven years.

Ryan created the "Bring Back Larkfield Road Taco Bell" Facebook page on Dec. 27 with the hopes of attracting some attention to the cause. The page has 35 likes so far.

"I know that I'm not the only person who misses having Taco Bell there," he said. "During a recent Christmas celebration at another Larkfield Road treasure, Dublin Jack, I heard both friends and strangers speaking fondly about their memories of sitting in a car with some close friends, waiting in the drive-thru line for some glorious late-night tacos. I looked online for some information about it, and I was surprised someone hadn't made a page like this yet, so I did it."

The response so far has been disappointing, said Ryan, though he remains hopeful that 2013 will be the year Taco Bell comes home.

"In my head, I imagined waking up the day after the page went live to a couple thousand Facebook "likes" and maybe a voice-mail from a Taco Bell corporate executive thanking me," he said.

Right now, the vacant building on Larkfield Road and Fourth Avenue, a plot of 15,426 square feet, is an eyesore and could not be easily passed off in with its current silhouette as anything but...well, a Taco Bell.

"Sure you could knock the building down and put up a new one, but why bother?" he asked. "Just slap the old Taco Bell sign back on there and let's get back to business."

Do you support the movement? Do you want Taco Bell back on Larkfield Road? Tell us in the comment section.