“We are doing something good. We aren’t what we used to be,” Cleto Coronado said with a smile.
As proprietor of Coronado’s mexican food restaurant, Coronado is ready for the next step. A healthy business climate gives him the confidence to expand his menu.
“Since December, business has gone up steadily,” Coronado said. “I’m seeing a lot of people that I haven’t seen in a long time.”
The influx is large enough to make some changes — an effort to repay the people that have supported Coronado’s over the years.
“Now it’s my turn,” he said.
Over the next year, Coronado said he hopes to acquire a liquor license so he can open a full bar. He said they will be able to serve “real” margaritas at that point.
The entryway to the restaurant needs some work, Coronado said, and plans to rebuild and renovate the space to make it more accessible.
Cleto’s dreams include his sons, Luke, 3, Caleb, 12, and Isiah, 11.
Cleto held Luke in his lap, playing with bubbles at the table, some spilling on the floor and table.
“This will be their hangout when they are grown up and in high school,” Coronado said. He hopes to make the family business something more than just a restaurant.
In the longterm, he said there is the possibility of expanding to the east. Coronado motioned to the other side of the room, sweeping his arm to illustrate the sheer size of what he wants to accomplish — a full bar, pool tables and a stage where country bands can play on the weekends.
But, for now, the Coronado crew will keep doing what he believes they do best. They have been serving up what Coronado deems “Mexi-Kan” food for the past 45 years in his family. Ultimately, the food is the key to any restaurant’s success, Coronado said.
“I love my food,” he said.
Coronado’s eyes options for future
