Back in 2009, Taqueria La Loma was founded. It began as a grocery store selling authentic Mexican ingredients for the community to stock their pantries with.
From chiles and spices to beverages you won’t find in the average chain store, La Loma filled a need in Akron. They also had a small taco truck they used to cook up limited offerings for customers.
“We thought our main business was going to be the supermarket. Little did we know that what kept us afloat in those hard beginning years, it was going to be the little taco stand,” said La Loma owner Blanca Saucedo.
The little taco stand wasn’t the main attraction. Customers of the store weren’t lining up for their prepared food at first. Until a few people tasted the food—and then, all it took was a little word of mouth and La Loma’s authentic flavors for the food to become a hit.
A few customers turned to many, and soon, the taco truck required expansion. It was a far cry from where they thought they might be after some periods of struggle. So Saucedo opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant.