(505) 877-8871 Isleta, NM
Eleven years ago, while working as a housekeeper for a large Albuquerque hotel, Delia Gallegos dreamed of owning her own restaurant. But she soon realized she needed more than passion to make her dream a reality-she needed to learn about business.
So, Delia went to WESST Corp and came away with both knowledge and a solid business plan. Delia Gallegos’ love for cooking turned into the opening of three restaurants in Albuquerque, Isleta, and Los Lunas. Gallegos has been a clie nt of The Loan Fund ‘s since 1998. She then came to The Loan Fund for financing to buy an existing restaurant on Central Avenue in Albuquerque, which she renamed El Sarape.
As with any start-up, many long, hard hours of work followed. Gallegos even used to sleep at the restaurant so she wouldn’t miss any opportunities to cook for paying customers. It’s no wonder she quickly had a loyal and growing group of regulars.
A South Valley location soon followed. Today, she provides jobs with a living wage to 22 employees and three locations. The Loan Fund has been there, with loans and encouragement, every time Delia has expanded her business.
Two years ago, El Sarape’s original location burned down in an electrical fire. Gallegos responded to the setback with vitality, restoring and re-opening the location in 2009. “Anytime I’ve had an issue, I ask [Director of Lending] Norma [Valdez],” Gallegos said. “She’s been there from the start to help when I’ve needed it.”