It might say ‘Goodbye’ on the social media post, but it’s more like ‘We’ll see you later’ for Alondra Galvez and the El Cactus Taco Shop.
Galvez recently posted a message to Facebook, saying that Sunday, Oct. 13, was the date of the shop’s ‘Goodbye’ open house. And while it’s true that she’ll be shutting things down at the Ontario Street location she’s been calling home since 2021, this isn’t the end for taco-loving locals.
“We’re going to close for the winter and take some time off and then next year we’re going to be moving to someplace a little bigger,” she said. “We’ve just outgrown this location and I wanted to change things up a little bit. So yes, the plan is to re-open next year. We’re going to take a small break and go to Mexico for a month, and we’re really looking forward to visiting with family and coming back well rested.”
Right now, Galvez said her goal is to have the new space open by April with more indoor dining space. That’s been a difficult thing to work around in their current location, what with a few window seats available inside. The outdoor patio space offers a great spot to chow down on the restaurant’s authentic Mexican food, but when the weather begins working against her it gets tough.
“We’ve been very welcomed by this community and the support has been amazing from all our locals that come in on a regular basis,” she said. “I have some plans for the new place; obviously the increased dining space is a big part, but we want to switch things up a bit. I want it to be more of an experience when we move, not just a ‘street food’ experience. I’m not going to be re-inventing anything – I’m just going to re-imagine what I already have here and change it up a bit.”
Galvez hopes the open house will be a fitting send off for El Taco’s current hogar, with $5 tacos and beers on tap between 12-4 p.m. She’s looking forward to sharing some good times and great memories with those who show up.
“This is just going to be a nice, relaxed day that gives us a chance to say hello and enjoy our customer’s company,” she said. “I think being here, in this particular space, was the right opportunity for me when we started out. I was able to do what I wanted on a smaller scale, so it didn’t feel like a huge risk. That was fabulous, and I think this location is going to work great for someone new who’s just starting out on their own.”
Full details for the El Cactus Taco Shop’s Goodbye Party can be found on their Facebook page.
