After 35 years in the restaurant business, Olivia Castaneda, owner of Olivia’s de Mexico, has decided to sell the eatery and prepare for retirement. She’s even willing to throw in her original Mexican recipes should the buyer choose.
Castaneda bought the business in 1976. She attributes her success to hard work and loyal customers.
“People are friendly and I love my job, Castaneda said.
However, after a life of taking care of her customers, Castaneda said she needs to find time to take care of herself.
“I’m going to be 60 [years-old] in the next year. It is time to take care of my health,” Castaneda said. She also looks forward to spending time with her grandchildren.
Olivia is asking $110,000 for her long-standing business. It comes with a beer and wine license. Fixtures furniture and equipment included.
Castaneda said she wants to thank all the people who have walked into her restaurant. “Without my customers I don’t think I could raise my three kids by myself,” Castaneda said. I’m really proud of my kids.”
• Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at russell.stigall@juneauempire.com.
Comments (41)
Add commentGood food but
crappy service! Don't dare to ask for beans instead of rice because you'll never hear the end of it. She'll go into a tirade of how much pinto beans cost to make, won't make ANY substitutions, and if so, will charge you an arm and leg for the change. I stopped going there over the last reprimand I received for trying to sub the beans for the rice. I hope she sells her business to a more customer service oriented person. Plus their chips suck, what little you get.
I wouldn't pay for a name and location
Yep....I agree with the first poster....you can't chew out your customers and still expect them to return. I've received the same treatment and never went back. Know lots of people that feel the same sad to say. The only thing of value is the actual equipment...you can rent plenty of great locations in this town and make your own name.
Wow. Different viewpoint here
My experience with Olivia has been much different. I remember going there many years ago when my son was little and him ordering a Burrito Ranchero with no sauce, sour cream on the side, quac moved to my plate, and nothing green allowed to touch his food. Ha ha. Olivia not only happily made it that way but 10 years later still makes it for him that way without him asking. She has always greated us with a smile and great service no matter how busy and I have seen hundreds of other customers treated like family there. I don't doubt that the other posters may have had a different experience. That's too bad as our family has truly seen a different side of this very fine lady.
PS I like the chips:)
Have to agree with first two posters
Always felt like I was in the school cafeteria about to get yelled at. Good food but uncomfortable service...like I was putting her out for eating there.
I'm not alone, then
@Concerned: You nailed it. That is the EXACT feeling my spouse and I always had when at Olivia's; definitely NOT conducive to a nice relaxing evening dining out. Interestingly, when Olivia's first went on the market a couple of years ago, she was asking $300k. Hmmm.
Olivia's
I never had anything, but exceptional service. Olivia remembers what I liked and I didn't even have to ask. She ALWAYS greeted me with a smile when she was there. It is the Best mexican food in the city, and I will be sad when she sells is. I have been going there for at least 24 years.
We must be special!
We've always been treated great in Olivia's. By her and by her kids. Of course, we read the sign on the door. It reads "Olivia's"... Not Burger King! The food is great. The service is friendly. They serve Mexican food that actually tastes like Mexican food. Previous posters should stick with El Sombrero. I prefer Mexican food. Good luck and happy retirement, Olivia! Bueno suerte y vaya con Dios! Gonna miss Olivia's de Mexico!
According to this article,
According to this article, she OWNS the location. Meaning, she owns the basement area she is in, she is not renting.
Do you know how rare it is for a restaurant in town to own the place they have their business?
That alone is worth more then the $110K she is asking for.
First world problems SMH
There is a reason why she's been there for so long and it's because of her loyal customers. Not the whiny ones, she's probably glad you didn't come back anyway.
She just wants to retire, leave her alone! I love Olivia's and wish her the best in retirement!
We'll really miss Olivia & co.
Olivia, her kids, and all her staff have been wonderful to us for more than twenty years. Olivia has always taken a special interest in our kids, and it has been great to watch hers grow up over the years. We will miss Olivia's very much when Olivia retires, but will be happy that she gets to take a break after so many years of hard work.
Another nice advertisement.
This is not news: the restaurant has been for sale for a couple of years now, and the original price was $175K. It's been reduced a couple of times.
The space is owned by Elton Engstrom.
If this were newly on the market, I could understand the Empire giving it this much space. Instead, it's just another free (or is it free??) advertisement.
I agree with many of the above posters that Olivia can be a bit snippy, and God forbid if you ask how anything is made. Her food is good, but not great. I stopped going there a while ago.
I would, however, like to give a shout-out to her son, Gilbert, who has, without fail, spent every lunch hour there helping out while he is on his own lunch break from his real job. Olivia is lucky to have a son like him.
Juneau Empire may want to
Juneau Empire may want to correct their story. She is not selling her space as she does not own that space.
I agree that Gilbert is wonderful.
It's just too bad that his mom is so grumpy. When I used to go there, and I've been going there since I was about 10 when it was Pequenos, I would be happy to see Gilbert working because he doesn't have any qualms about substituting this for that. When "mama" would come to wait on our table, I would start to get anxiety and cringe at the crap awaiting me asking for beans instead of rice. Sorry, but I don't like Mexican rice. No bueno.
Malarky
Olivia has been great to my family and me. We also change up our orders and she has never been rude or upset when we do (which is frequent!). Will miss her when she retires.
Also, agree Gilbert is great - for those who say she is "lucky" to have him, remember she is the one who raised him to be the man he is today.
Good luck to Olivia and her family!
wish her luck
wish her luck, went there a few times ,way back, the service was awful, so never went back, stuck with El Sombrero where they are happy to see you.
No matter what we ordered
No matter what we ordered over the years, it all tasted the same. She picked her customers very carefully, especially the legislators. When my husband and I went there for dinner one night, over three years ago, she was talking to us about our order and as soon as 7 legislators walked in, she pretty much ignored us the rest of the dinner and catered to all of the gov't folks. When we asked for coffee, she was actually [filtered word] off because it would take more time away from her favorite "suits". I said "never mind, we'll skip the coffee here, just give us the check please." She was all smiles after that. But it was when we learned from someone who used to work there, that she would have the staff put back all of the salsa from the tables into the jar and reserve it to other customers! We haven't been back since. She's very moody and I guess knows which customers have the money and which ones don't. We couldn't go there very often, but stopped going there after the last incident. We prefer MiCasa. Great atmosphere, not cramped, fresh, warm chips but nobody's salsa beats Alex's from Fernando's. That was the BEST Mexican restaurant, then MiCasa and then El Sombrero. Not advertising, just sayin'.
Enlighting
Just reading all the comments. 1# beans are cheap, cheaper then meat. Makes you wonder what kind of meat was she using if beans are expensive.And recycling the salsa not very sanitary.
The disparity in comments
always makes me wonder........why do some people receive good service, while others say they are berated?
My guess is that in some cases, it may be the attitude of the customer going in - of course, customers who are rude or demanding probably also don't have the self-reflection skills to see themselves as such.
Like mama always said - you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
LOVE Olivia!!
My husband has been going there since the 70's and he took me there on our first date in March of 1993 and I have been a faithful patron ever since. I refuse to eat Mexican food anywhere else! We've always asked for substitutions and have NEVER been treated poorly for doing so, maybe it's in the way that you ask??? My kids have grown to LOVE Olivia, they refer to her as Grandma Olivia and she showers them with hugs every time she sees them. We will definitely be sad and will miss her greatly when she retires but she deserves her time after devoting so much of her life to her business.
I agree that she is very lucky to have her children, and her children are very lucky to have her!! To be a single mother, run a business and have your chldren brought up to be very productive members and kind hearted as they are must have been a lot of hard work and sacrafices made by Olivia.
¡Muchas gracias a una señora maravillosa y cariñosa!
Agree w/swimmergirl
My husband and I have been going there for years and have ALWAYS had great food and great service. I agree with swimmergirl, I suspect it has more to do with the attitude of the customer than it does with Olivia. I substitute things all the time and never have a problem. I do say please and thank you and don't just start rattling off how I'd like my order. Besides, if you have to change too many things about a dish, why go there in the first place? We'll keep going back as long as she's still there.
I agree with ForReal. She
I agree with ForReal. She does cater to the "suits." It's a hit and miss with her. I'm very nice and considerate and have never had a problem with any other restaurant but hers. I was a frequent customer until I asked for hard tacos. OMG, I didn't hear the end of it. She doesn't fry taco shells. WTF. Most people eat hard tacos. She just throws the store bought crap on the grill for a second and doesn't even add tomoatoes, because they're "too expensive." Trust me, this is what I've been told.
Then again, when I've been there with other fave customers, she'll give the whatever they want. All the salsa they want. When I place an order to go (used to) she would give out one little salsa and would charge me .50 for every shot of salsa, but my friend would get a styrofoam cup full with no extra charge. I for one will not go back EVER until she sells.
I agree with ForReal. She
I agree with ForReal. She does cater to the "suits." It's a hit and miss with her. I'm very nice and considerate and have never had a problem with any other restaurant but hers. I was a frequent customer until I asked for hard tacos. OMG, I didn't hear the end of it. She doesn't fry taco shells. WTF. Most people eat hard tacos. She just throws the store bought crap on the grill for a second and doesn't even add tomoatoes, because they're "too expensive." Trust me, this is what I've been told.
Then again, when I've been there with other fave customers, she'll give the whatever they want. All the salsa they want. When I place an order to go (used to) she would give out one little salsa and would charge me .50 for every shot of salsa, but my friend would get a styrofoam cup full with no extra charge. I for one will not go back EVER until she sells.
cozmos - "most people"
eat hard tacos? Considering I've never seen a hard taco shell in Mexico, Honduras, Cozumel, Belize, or south Texas/Arizona - - I'll take a wild guess - that this is not true.
I'm not saying it's always the case, but sometimes, people have to be open to the idea that maybe it's them.
FOR REAL EEWWWWW recycled
FOR REAL EEWWWWW recycled salsa?!?!? That is sickening! How could they pass health inspections doing that?
Olivia is great, we'll miss her
Olivia has always been very kind to my family. She is always pleasant to customers around us.
We will miss her and wish her well.
I've always enjoyed eating
I've always enjoyed eating there and Oliva has never been anything but nice to me.
I can remember her when she first started working there and she couldn't hardly speak English--maybe just enough to take orders.
She has been a positive part of our community for many years.
I, too, have been going to
I, too, have been going to Olivia's since the 70's. She has always been nice to me and my family. My kids made substitutions all the time with no problem! As for the "hard tacos" comment - I agree with swimmergirl. I've been to Mexico 9 times and the tacos in every single place I've ever eaten were soft. I do agree with ForReal on one thing - Alejandro's (Alex's) salsa was the absolute BEST I've ever had in this town!
Love Olivia's
From the second I walked in the very first time going to olivia's I was treated with EXCELLENT service. I have never had problems with the food ever being bad. I have had changes and no problems. The salsa is great. I would rather go to Olivias with terrible service then El Sombrero any day. Thank you Olivia for your great food and generous hospitality you will for sure be missed when you retire but you deserve it.
Wishing you the best
My dear lady I was not attacking you personaly. just make a couple of comments on what I read.In my book you are one class act .Had a successful career and raising kids at the same time. my hat is off to you. And enjoy your retirement and your wonderful family.
going to miss you
You do have great food