Today, Esperanza and Stephanie Lopez can look down the glowing 4th St SW in downtown Willmar as not only the proud owners of Spurs Bar & Grill, but the owners of the beautiful Art Deco building their restaurant calls home.
Back in 1998 when Esperanza first visited Willmar, Minnesota she was captivated by the town’s openness and greenery. She moved her life and put down roots, picturing her little daughter Stephanie growing up, going to school, freely riding her bike with friends.
Willmar became home, and would also be the backdrop of a dream to own her own business. Keeping this picturesque town home while working towards this dream would not be easy with the reality of little finances to work with.
As a single mom she was often faced with difficult choices, like making a house payment over new school shoes. Esperanza worked jobs at the entry-level, oftentimes working at multiple places throughout a given week. Though she was unable to work as an engineer as she was professionally trained to do in Mexico, she could transfer her astute problem solving skills to help her master any operation. Her bosses, seasoned restaurant owners, saw something special in Esperanza. She was encouraged to think about restaurant ownership succeeding their retirement.
Once her daughter Stephanie was of age she was also determined to work. She began at the local Mcdonalds, and learned her personal finance skills and refined her own service industry standards. Together they became more than a mother-daughter duo, they became a business team determined to make the dream happen together.
As part of revitalization efforts in downtown Willmar, the “Historic 313”, a 1930s building, became the ideal site to build their restaurant concept from (nearly) scratch. The space needed intense remodels and renovation, this began in 2014. They utilized youtube videos and a few trusted trades workers to undergo construction themselves while running a catering business on the side.
Their original opening date, March of 2016, passed with impending projects preventing their welcome sign from illuminating. As Esperanza said in an opening-day interview: “there were lots of ups and downs…sometimes I felt like it wasn’t going to happen.” but they did not give up.
Finally, in 2018 financial support came when LEDC approved a loan that gave them a final boost to make it to the finish line. Little at a time, walls were painted, equipment installed, and atmosphere tailored to their style with care.
For customers in 2018 it was worth the wait, experiencing the joy of a warm gathering space, and being able to sample unique flavors like their rich poblano pepper roasted, “green spaghetti”.
Customers remained loyal to the team when 2020 came and made the future uncertain for restaurants. The business community purchased many gift cards at a time when that was all that could be offered. Stephanie recalls being touched “It was mostly other businesses that helped us get by.”
The town’s efforts made them all the more determined to keep their restaurant as a staple to the community, furthering the area’s economy and vibrancy. LEDC recognized this drive and benefit. Again, in 2022 LEDC’s Lending capabilities enabled Spurs Bar & Grill to purchase their treasured building.
Spurs has been Featured in a 2021 MPR article & Small Change podcast: Read More
And a West Central Tribune, Grand Opening article: Read More
LEDC is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with a commitment to help more Latina entrepreneurs secure their financial independence and boost Greater Minnesota’s economy! Consider donating and your donation will be matched by an anonymous donor until December 31st.
