Two years ago the three Ramales brothers felt the effects of the pandemic in their jobs… but that test opened another door for them.
“Well, here we are, trying hard and more than anything trying to do things right,” said Jorge Ramales.
The Ramales brothers crossed the border twenty years ago and have lived in Woodhaven ever since, where they have raised their children and where they have found their dreams.
His first restaurant: Ruta del Taco, on Jamaica Avenue, in Woodhaven, Queens.
“If you want everything you can achieve it, with a lot of effort everything is possible, it takes time, hours of work to get where you are,” said Mariano Ramales.
The pandemic changed the route of their lives.
Mariano worked as a cook at a restaurant in Manhattan that closed during the pandemic.
Cirilo has a store selling Mexican products in the area, but during the pandemic sales dropped.
And Jorge, the youngest, was a taxi driver but joined the opportunity to start a business.
They started in 2021 with a truck on Jamaica Avenue. From there they used their savings and took out loans to open a store at the end of March.
“Many people already knew us, and they come here and thank God we have many clients,” added Mariano.
They say that most of the products they use are brought from Mexico.
“The flavor is felt, authentic,” said Cirilo.
Cyril.
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And this isn’t the only new restaurant in the neighborhood.
According to members of the Woodhaven business district, about twenty new businesses have already opened on Jamaica Avenue. Many of the stores closed during the pandemic.
Now most of its owners are Hispanic. Among them: The Embassy, Que rico no manches and Cevis Luciana ‘Chicken and Grilled’.
The others are clothing stores, barbershops, and a supermarket.
The business district attributes this to the growth of the Latino community in the area.
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