Life & Work with Amancio Gomez of Woodridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amancio Gomez.

Hi Amancio, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Los Arcos opened in 2000 as a small taqueria shop; business could have been better during those times, and we barely made money to survive. Yes were by, and business didn’t change, so we decided to invest in the business to boost it. We put some money into a small remodel, built a small bar for the business, and started marketing the business as much as possible, direct mailing, magazine, and social media ads, and that’s when the business started booming. In 2018 the business was doing so well that we decided to expand the business, remodel the whole place again, and pass from a 50-seat restaurant to 120 seats. All thanks to the support of the community! The feeling was amazing to see how a small shop barely surviving became one of the hottest businesses in town.

Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As mentioned before, the road has been challenging on the first remodel of the business. We invested 10k (all my savings). It was a big gamble then, but I wanted to change my life and ensure the business succeeded. Thanks to the support of my staff and the community, the business grew into what we’re now. But then COVID hit and took a big chunk of our business; we struggled, barely making money to pay the bills again. The most hurtful thing was letting go of some of my loyal employees and not seeing the life and happiness the restaurant brought into the community. After we were able to reopen, there was a feeling of uncertainty not a lot of customers were coming back, we struggled to find employees to fill some positions, and it was like starting from zero again. Little by little, we have been getting back on our feet, but it has been challenging due to the rising prices of goods that have made the business struggle. Thank God we’re still here, and with the community’s support, we will be here for many more.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I started working at my brother’s restaurant a long time ago, and since then, I have had a passion for cooking. Growing up, I admired and enjoyed my mom’s cooking, and I wanted to copy that in my menu, making sure my customers experienced the same I experienced when I was a kid. Today my business shows that passion. Even though I’m no longer involved in the operation, I make sure the kitchen staff follow my recipes which are the staple of my business—the love of the food, the flavor, the tradition the taste of Mexico. What sets us apart from others is that we aren’t afraid of trying different things on our menu. Most people like doing traditional Mexican food, which, don’t get me wrong, I love, but I like combining new techniques, mixing our culture with some of the trends, and creating some modern dishes.

We’d like to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
Luck is a difficult word to describe since luck plays a role in every path, whether you believe it or not. In my case, luck turned the switch on me when I decided to remodel my place for the first time when. I decided to invest my life saving and gamble on the idea that my business would succeed. Look at me now with hard work, persistence, and an amazing group of people who have supported me and my business. I have accomplished taking my business to a different level, and not going to lie; luck has played a role in my path. Lucky enough to find an amazing staff and a community that accepted my ideas, and I’m sure luck will be a continuous subject on this path.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.arcosmexicangrill.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcos_woodridge/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LosArcosMexicanGrillWoodridge/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArcosWoodridge
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@oralerestaurantgroup2069
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/los-arcos-mexican-and-grill-woodridge
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/los-arcos-mexican-grill-woodridge-il?lang=en

Image Credits
Emmory Castelan – Creeazt Productions