PHOTOS: Tito's new restaurant
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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Daelyn Lynn, a team member for Tito’s Taqueria, prepares guacamole before the new restaurant location opens in the Hannaford’s parking lot, on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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Cody Collins, a team member for Tito’s Taqueria, prepares chips before the new store opens.
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Tito Garza, the owner of Tito’s Taqueria, makes sure everything is ready before opening the doors at the new location, in the Hannaford’s parking lot, on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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Tito Garza, the owner of Tito’s Taqueria, talks to his employees, thanking them for all that they have done before they open the doors at the new restaurant location, in the Hannaford’s parking lot, on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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Tito Garza, the owner of Tito’s Taqueria, makes sure everything is ready before opening the doors at the new location, in the Hannaford’s parking lot, on May 5, 2021.
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Jamie Thibodeau, from South Newfane, and Tyson Hayes, from Claremont, N.H., are the first customers in the new Tito’s Taqueria location, in the Hannaford’s parking lot, on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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Cody Collins, a team member for Tito’s Taqueria, prepares a meal for the first customer, Jamie Thibodeau, from South Newfane, in the new Tito’s Taqueria location, in the Hannaford’s parking lot, on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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On Cinco De Mayo, Tito’s Taqueria opened its newest brick and mortar restaurant in Brattleboro, Vt., in the Hannaford’s parking lot on May 5, 2021.
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Daelyn Lynn, a team member for Tito’s Taqueria, helps Kendra Gardner, from Hinsdale, N.H., with her order in the new Tito’s Taqueria location, in the Hannaford’s parking lot, on May 5, 2021.
BRATTLEBORO — Tito’s Taqueria opened its second brick and mortar location on Cinco de Mayo, this one being in the community where the owner’s dreams started to become a reality.
“Can’t tell you how grateful I am,” Tito Garza, owner, said in a team huddle with staff just before opening at 11 a.m. Wednesday. “I’m so excited. This is what I live for, the rush.”
The new location is in Hannaford Plaza in the former Thin Crust Pizza building on Putney Road, near where Tito’s had a food truck in the Black Mountain Square. Garza said a kitchen in the square will continue to be used for his operations and he hopes someone else can make the food truck site “their home.”
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. A drive-up window is for picking up online orders made at titostaqueria.com.
On Wednesday, four customers were lined up outside waiting for the grand opening. Jamie Thibodeau of South Newfane said it feels to good to be the first customer of the new location.
“My wife would be jealous,” he said.
A sign directing customers where to stand before making orders reads, “Follow Your Taco Dreams that’a way.”
Garza recalled started the business by selling tacos from a cooler by the side of Western Avenue in Brattleboro by the red covered bridge in summer 2016 before expanding. He spoke about being careful with growth and never sacrificing quality, saying he’d rather be the best he can be than the biggest.
“It’s harder than it sounds,” he said.
Greenfield, Mass., hosts the other brick and mortar Tito’s. Garza said it’s easier to run the business in buildings than food trucks.
His hope is to reopen a food truck in Wilmington soon. He also would like to open one in Keene, N.H., but he needs more staff. He described experiencing difficulties in finding employees recently.
There had been some delays in opening the new spot. Garza said the project started in October and a contract for purchasing the building was signed in January.
“It took a little while to get it right but we got there,” he said.
Garza expressed gratitude for his staff and the community support over the years. He said it feels “pretty special” when people stop him in town and reminisce about buying breakfast burritos from him in the early days of the business.