A family business
Romualdo Figueroa finds success in store, restaurant
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Monday, March 31, 2008 10:54 AM PDT
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| Romualdo Figueroa and his daughter, Erica, stand behind the counter waiting for their next customers at Familia Figueroa. Clothing and phone cards are popular items at the store. |
ONTARIO — Romualdo Figueroa, 42, has been in the Ontario area for almost 20 years and has firmly put his roots down in the community by starting and expanding his business and trying new things.
Figueroa came to Malheur County from California about 18 years ago, he said, where he had been involved in a variety of jobs, including working in agriculture and restaurants. He continued to work in agriculture once he moved to Oregon.
“I worked in the sheds,” he said.
Then, 10 years ago, Figueroa started his store, Familia Figueroa, having put away money through the years to get it started. It was his first experience in running a business, he said.
Familia Figueroa is now situated at 247 S. Oregon St., Ontario, which is his second store location in Ontario. The first was also on Oregon Street, he said.
“I started out in a small place,” Figueroa said.
A busy person, he also owned a store in Caldwell for six years, which is now closed.
His latest venture is a small restaurant, Tacos Mi Ranchito, directly across the street, which offers a variety of Mexican food for in-store dining and take-out. Romualdo Figueroa’s two brothers, Humberto Figueroa and Damian Figueroa, run that business.
After ordering from the menu, customers can watch their orders being put together and choose what ingredients go into them. The food is prepared fresh through out the day, including the tortilla chips. The restaurant opened in May 2007, Figueroa said.
“I like working for me,” he said, indicating he is satisfied with how things have turned out.
Figueroa noted, however, business activity does experience ups and downs.
As for his customers at Familia Figueroa, boots and hats are popular with men, and the clothes are his best sellers for women, he said. He also carries clothes for children, as well as clothes for weddings and other celebrations. He also sells CDs, videos and phone cards at the store.
As its name suggests, Familia Figueroa is a family business, and while his two brothers run the restaurant, Figueroa, who is married, has three sons and one daughter, Erica, who helps wait on customers.
