WASCO, Calif. (KERO) — Carnitas El Jesse is a dream come true for restaurant owner Jesus Flores, and part of a theme of growth that the City of Wasco has seen since 2022.
- Jesus Flores has been cooking carnitas for about seven years and told 23ABC, that opening a restaurant has been a goal of his since. Now, as he is slated to hold a grand opening for his restaurant, Carnitas El Jesse, it's like a dream come true.
- Flores, family, and staff will welcome the public with a ribbon cutting on April 5 at 5 p.m.
- According to Keri Cobb, the city's Community Development Director, the city has seen 7 new business openings since 2022. Three of them were in the Downtown area, four of them were along Highway 46, and three more are anticipated to open in the future.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
If you live in Wasco, you may have seen Jesus Flores selling carnitas here or even here, now he's completing his dream and is set to open his own restaurant, Carnitas El Jesse. I'm Sam Hoyle, your Wasco neighborhood reporter. Flores said he's been cooking carnitas y for about the last 7 years and said opening a restaurant was always the goal and now that it's slated to happen it's like a dream come true.
"This has been a dream of his and he also wants to bring the comfort and commodity of being in a restaurant. So, instead of like the marketplace where it was to go, he wants to bring a space where his customers can eat and relax and have a family — more like family time," said Flores through Diana, his daughter. "He says he's a little nervous but not really he's, if anything, more grateful that he's gaining so much support."
While the grand opening slated for Friday is plenty on his plate, Flores says he has grander plans to give back to the community once his business is more established.
"Throughout all of this, he wishes to help students so he plans on discounting food items for students. And then as it grows, he wants to know like — what would be popular, like maybe fried quesadillas."
And Flores' new restaurant isn't the only growth in Wasco over the last few years.. according to the city's development director Keri Cobb, there have been seven businesses that have opened since 2022. Three in the downtown core and four along Highway 46 With three anticipated to open in the near future.
"It's an exciting time. It's exciting to see the downtown, you know, hopefully breathhe some new life into the downtown. And I think what I'm hopeful to see anyway is that that momentum continues and that we — we do see some new businesses that want to do that one thing and do it really well and serve the community that way that — that there'll be some new interest in the downtown in that in that regard," said Cobb.
Flores said he plans to hold a grand opening for Carnitas El Jesse on Friday at 5 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to start things off. In Wasco, I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter.
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