Immigrant finds his American dream

MARGARITAVILLE—Money Pancho restaurant owner Jorge Lopez shows off a plaque presented by the Soroptomists nternational of the Conejo declaring the restaurant a winner in a margarita mixoff last May. Lopez is a proud restaurant owner. To achieve the American dream, people are often told, “You can do anything you want to do if you set your mind to it.” Thousand Oaks resident Jorge Lopez, a native Mexican, came to America with a large family, no contacts and no English, but he achieved his goal of becoming a restaurant owner through hard work and perseverance.

“Language was the biggest trouble for me,” Lopez said, but that wasn’t a big enough obstacle to discourage him from going after his dream.

In 1989, at age 42, Lopez had grown tired, restless and dissatisfied with his work as a traveling men’s and women’s clothing salesman in Mexico, especially the time spent away from his family.

As a child, Lopez read about America’s “melting pot” and heard endless accounts of friends and others who set out for the “American dream.”

Lopez had a dream of his own—to build his own restaurant.

Lopez had learned the restaurant industry, both food preparation and business operations, through numerous positions, including maître d’, captain and chief chef at various establishments in Mexico.

His friends said he’d been successful with most of his businesses, so there was good chance he’d succeed with his “American dream.” But he faced considerable obstacles when he arrived in America.

Lopez moved all eight members of his family to Oxnard. Most of his family didn’t speak English, so communication with Americans was difficult.

Once Lopez moved in, he couldn’t begin his restaurant business right away—he had to start at the bottom and work his way up.

“When I first came here, I had worked in the restaurant business for 15 years before,” Lopez said. “When I came here looking for a restaurant, I . . . had to work as a waiter. I had to work 14 hours (a day).”

Three years after arriving in America, Lopez had saved $10,000 of his hard-earned money and used it to open his first restaurant—Money Pancho, a family style restaurant in Oxnard named after a Mr. Money and Mr. Pancho in Mexico who owned the restaurant where Lopez had worked. With the help of his family, who worked in the restaurant, the business did well.

Two years later, Lopez opened a second Money Pancho in Camarillo. Family members again helped keep the two restaurants going.

In November, the Lopez family will celebrate five years of owning their third Money Pancho at the corner of Las Virgenes and West Agoura roads in Calabasas.

The Calabasas establishment is the biggest of the three, which was a challenge in itself, according to Lopez. Three previous restaurants had failed at this site, and it was less than a mile from one of the city’s most successful Mexican restaurants.

“This (is) a restaurant that (would) make the original Mr. Money and Mr. Pancho very, very proud,” Lopez said, referring to the restaurant’s size.

Aside from rave reviews from both Anglo and Hispanic patrons regarding food and service, Money Pancho makes margaritas that have, for the past two years, won the award for the best margarita at the annual Conejo Valley Margarita Shootout.

All three restaurants, in addition to a Money Pancho Express fast food restaurant in Oxnard, are doing well, according to Lopez. He currently employs 35 people and his family still helps, from running the store and keeping the books, to waiting tables and serving as maitre d’.

Although already successful, Lopez continues to dream. He hopes to open a Money Pancho in Thousand Oaks in the future.