DALLAS — When 62-year-old Paul Alaniz first met his wife of 23 years, Mary Alaniz, he knew a couple of weeks into dating he wanted to marry her.
The now 57-year-old Mary Alaniz wasn’t ready to fall in love because she was recently divorced when she and Paul first met. However, she vividly remembers the magnetic mutual attraction she and her now husband shared early in their relationship.
“That crazy attraction is still there,” she said. “We have a lot in common, and we get along great.”
One thing the couple has in common is an entrepreneur spirit. In November 2019, they jumped at the opportunity to purchase a 14-year-old successful taco shop named Taco Barracho in downtown Dallas from a friend. They re-named the restaurant to The Local Taco and were excited to be the owners of a restaurant that got so much traffic.
“The first couple of months were great,” said Paul Alaniz.
The couple recalls long lines that ran out both of the restaurant’s doors during the daily lunch hour rush.
“The main force of the business was the lunch crowd,” said Paul Alaniz. “They were all office workers that would just walk in here and fall in love with our food.”
But that traffic wouldn’t last for long. In March 2020, after three months of operating under their ownership, the restaurant lost business overnight because of the start of the global pandemic. COVID shattered the couple’s dreams of financial freedom.
“The pandemic shutdown turned downtown Dallas into a ghost town for business,” said Paul Alaniz.
A lot of the businesses occupying downtown buildings haven’t returned to full office attendance. Restaurants like The Local Taco are feeling the pain.
“From November of 2019 through early March of 2020, we were making about $1,200 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.,” said Mary Alaniz. “If we could do that every day, we’d be OK.”
But they’re not OK. Almost three years since the start of the pandemic, their daily sales are averaging only about $600. Most Tuesdays, they show up an hour early to make a couple dozen of breakfast tacos for an office in downtown.
“They usually order about 48,” said Paul Alaniz. “They’re a great regular customer. I think they’re an accounting firm.”
“The sauces here are delicious,” said customer Rachel Kay, who picked up to order for her co-workers. “They not only have great sauce, the tacos aren’t too heavy, not too light. It’s a great breakfast taco!”
Even though they make good food, business hasn’t been good. The order Kay picked up only happens once a week. Kay said her office is just a couple of blocks away from the restaurant and it hasn’t returned to full capacity.
“We’re at about 50%, a lot of us are still working from home since we have the option,” said Kay.
When most of the corporate businesses operating out of downtown Dallas offices resorted to letting their employees work from home, the Alanizs were afraid they would have to shut down in the early months of the pandemic.
“DART saved us,” said Paul Alaniz. “If it weren’t for the big orders they made daily, we would have probably had to shut down.”
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) headquarters building at 1401 Pacific Ave. is next to Akard Station. The station, which serves DART Rail Red, Blue, Green and Orange lines, is across the street from The Local Taco.
“They ordered two tacos for every essential worker at their location,” said Paul Alaniz. “They gave us that business for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was a huge order, and it really helped us stay open in the beginning.”
In October 2020, the couple had a grand opening. A Facebook post in all capital letters read, “FREE MARGARITAS, BYOB, DJ RIGHTEOUS WILL BE PERFORMING COME CHECK US OUT, BEST TACOS IN ALL OF DOWNTOWN.”
They waited for the traffic to pick back up, but the lack of business has them behind in bills putting them in debt. They’re currently considering selling their home to help from going bankrupt.
“You got to try and stay positive all the time or you’re really doomed,” said Paul Alaniz. “It’s not always easy but we’re trying.”
According to Mary Alaniz, she and her husband have something special that keeps them going.
“When you’re struggling and everything is tough, the thing that you cling to is the love that you have from one another,” she said. “I mean, I’ve already told him he’s not allowed to divorce me. I will just refuse.”
Customers like Kay have told the couple the restaurant would be missed if they have to close the shop.
“So if you’re in downtown Dallas and want a good local taco, Paul and Mary welcome the love,” said Kay.
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Share your ideas with human interest reporter Lupe Zapata by emailing him at Lupe.Zapata@Charter.com