Cooking dreams, serving home
When Vicente Gallardo arrived in the United States from Guerrero, Mexico, he was only 15 years old. In 2000, he settled in Atlanta, and later, in 2005, he moved to North Carolina, where he began a new chapter filled with hard work and learning.
During those early years, Vicente worked wherever he could, landscaping, cleaning, construction. “I did a bit of everything,” he recalls. “Until the 2008 recession hit, and I lost my job.” But, as he says, when one door closes, another opens. Vicente started working in a plastic factory, where he spent five years. It was there, together with his family, that the idea of starting a business was born. The inspiration came from a simple but profound need: “Many of us immigrants are men living alone. We miss homemade food the stews from our mothers, our grandmothers… and you just can’t find that here,” Vicente explains. “We wanted to offer real food, with the flavor of home.”
That’s how his first restaurant was born in 2014. For two years, they worked tirelessly until Vicente decided to move to Winston-Salem and start again. In 2018, after a full year of effort, sacrifice, and dedication, Vicente opened the doors of his new restaurant on Waughtown Street.
But his story doesn’t stop there. Along the way, Vicente found Latino Community Credit Union. “I needed a loan to buy a house, but the banks asked for requirements I couldn’t meet. That’s when the Credit Union appeared.” Since 2010, Vicente has been an active member and a shining example of perseverance. Thanks to the financial and educational support of the Credit Union, he was able to buy his home, and recently finished paying it off. “I feel happy,” he says with a smile. “I never thought I could own my own house here. But with the Credit Union’s help, I did it.”
Vicente also graduated from our financial education classes, something he considers essential to his personal and business growth. “I recommend them to all members,” he says. “They teach you how to manage your money, get organized, and achieve your goals.”
Today, his business represents not only the result of years of hard work but also a tribute to Mexican traditions. “It’s very important to keep our roots alive,” he says. “We can’t let them fade away.”
When asked what advice he would give to other Hispanic entrepreneurs, Vicente doesn’t hesitate:
“Give it your all. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. We all start out afraid, but you have to take the risk. With effort and God’s blessing, things turn out well.” After more than a decade as a member, Vicente feels that his journey and that of Latino Community Credit Union are deeply connected. “We’ll keep walking together,” he says proudly. “Because the Credit Union has grown with us, and we’ve grown with it.”