A Hard Journey

As you enter Oaxaca Restaurant, your eyes are greeted with the vibrant colors of a traditional Mexican Restaurant. Red, blue, lime green, and orange hues are each featured on the walls, and the restaurant is decorated throughout by hand-selected, authentic artifacts imported straight from Mexico. Customers are initially greeted by Normando, a middle-aged Mexican American with short hair, "Buenas, bienvenidos a mi hogar" he enthusiastically greets whenever a customer walks through the door. "I purposefully say "mi hogar" when greeting a customer so that they feel they are a part of my home," he reveals in a slight Spanish accent. The beauty of the restaurant, however, is a distraction from the trials and tribulations that the average business owner has to endure. Luckily, Normando and Angela's resilience goes to show their drive to succeed in the hospitality industry. 

Oaxaca Restaurant

Angela, the mastermind behind the project, is Normando's partner in crime. Freckles scatter her face, leading you to the hairline of her short brown hair. "La gente no saben how hard it really is to start and maintain a business, es muy dificil," her eyes meet Normandos' in confirmation, tiredness visible in their exchange. Her quick switch between English and Spanish helps her express a complete thought. 

The building was originally home to "John's Sweeper and Appliance", and because of this difference in the type of business, the building had to be completely rebuilt on a budget. First, they collected the appliances needed to build a successful restaurant - dishes, silverware, linens, cups, fridges, etc.- all second-hand. After this, they moved on to clearing out the building for a fresh start. Normando, an ex-engineer himself, took the lead in the building process. He and a group of his friends tore down the old walls and laid down new bases for fresh paint. He set down decorative floor tiles and remodeled an old closet into a gender-neutral bathroom for the customers. The kitchen appliances were bought used and repurposed to save money and this was all a slow process that took approximately 3 years to complete.

"Ivamos from one job to another. Normando and I accidentally stay late as 2 AM working," she scratches her head in disbelief. Every night, the couple found themselves traveling from their day job straight to the restaurant to make progress on the remodeling. The realization that if they threw in the towel, their dream would never come to life drove both to continue this cycle for nearly 1,100 days. After this grueling, time-consuming, and expensive process, the building was sufficient for a new restaurant. They then had time to decide on, finalize, and print the menu, a task that also proved to be heavily time-consuming. Finally, Angela hired and trained staff, and invitations were sent out for the grand opening on February 24, 2023. 

With chain restaurants becoming more prevalent in smaller towns and suburban areas, small businesses are being pushed out because they can't afford to keep up. The purpose of opening Oaxaca is to bring back the "homey" feel of a family-run restaurant. "We try to create something different in Hazleton, algo personal. If people feel at home they will come back," Angela debates. Unlike chain restaurants, you will find these owners behind the counter every day, working alongside their staff cooking, waiting on tables, and cleaning at the end of the night. "Los clientes tell us that we are attentive and that they come for the service," He repeatedly nods, "we care about the little details." If not Angela, then Normando will personally check on each table and ask about their experience. Customers love and appreciate the personal aspect.

While taking in the colorful portraits adorning the walls, the ring of an alarm signifies the arrival of a customer. Normando, who is leaning against the red Coca-Cola display refrigerator, welcomes him. The young man looks as if he just got off of work with his neon green hoodie, utility work pants, and steel-toed shoes. He drags in a trail of mud. 

"Como estas brother, take a seat," Normando insists.

"It feels like I just got transported back to Mexico," his body rotates along with his wandering eyes.

"Gracias gracias," he nods appreciatively, emphatically repeating himself, "My wife and I work very hard to create something."

the young man indulges, "It is very beautiful, I had no idea this place was here."

"Tenemos less than year open," he follows the customer to his table, "we built it all."

"Really?" he surprisingly asked.

"Si, not an easy thing to do," Normando confirms, eyes downcast.

When taking a look beyond the decorations, one notices the cleanliness and organization of the restaurant. "When new to open, my wife and I saw how...di..difficult it was to keep good condition. Angela and I will stay behind after everyone leave. We get on our hands and knees to scrub the grime off the floor. I will go touch up any chipped paint...and wobbly chairs. She clean fridges and takes care of plants. We have to do these things. People no see this part of business. We are the first in, and last out everyday," Normando blurts out. 

It is apparent that the establishment fosters a huge time commitment for the couple. The late nights, constant updates, and effort already put forth apply pressure to succeed. "Al final del dia, we chose this because we wanted it," Angela admits. They are each other's support through the hard journey of running a business. 

Normando (Left) and Angela (Right)