By Raiza Giorgi
publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com
Photos Contributed
The first year of business is the hardest. It takes a while to figure out what works and what doesn’t, but Maria Arroyo says opening Los Arroyos in Solvang has been great fun as well as a big challenge.
She is celebrating the first year of operating a branch of her family’s Mexican food restaurant in the Santa Ynez Valley.
“It’s always a risk opening a new location, but this has been amazing getting to know the community and now working near where I live,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo, who is part owner of Los Arroyos restaurants on the South Coast with her ex-husband Tony Arroyo, decided that the valley needed a location as well. The popular Mexican food restaurant opened Sept. 10 of last year in the Merkantile shopping center at Highway 246 and Alamo Pintado Road.
Tony (top right) and Maria (seated second from left) started Los Arroyos restaurant in 1999 and ran the business themselves with just a few employees, some of whom are still with them today.
In a 600-square-foot space, the two started the first Los Arroyos restaurant in 1999 and ran the business themselves with just a few employees, some of whom are still with them today. From that first location on Coast Village Road, they have opened places in Camarillo, Goleta and Solvang. Both are thrilled that their son Diego, now 16, has shown an interest in the restaurant business and hope he will someday take over the operations.
Opening the Solvang location took about a year of planning, and the Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flows pushed their opening date from spring to late summer.
Continuing construction at the Merkantile center has also restricted parking, but she knows it won’t last forever and is grateful to the community for coming in to support her.
“I have loved meeting the people here and I would say more than 70 percent of my business is from locals, so thank you to all my regulars and everyone who has eaten here,” Arroyo said.
“This winter was a bit hard with the wet weather. People don’t like to go out in the rain, but our takeout and lunch delivery service has really picked up in the last few months,” she added.
Arroyo is planning a one-year celebration with live music and giveaways. To find out the details, follow the restaurant on Facebook or log onto their website at www.losarroyossolvang.com.
