SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Taking place Sunday, the second annual Back to the Boulevard hosted by the Franklin Boulevard Business District will be taking over Franklin Boulevard between 12th Avenue and Fruitridge Road.
Below are quotes from businesses that will be at the event and who call Franklin Boulevard home.
They are:
- Albert Davalos, Cook, Manager at El Novillero
- Jorge Plasencia, Supervisor at La Esperanza Bakery
- Natali Plasencia, Manager at La Esperanza Bakery
- Roxanne Urena, Owner of XX Tacos
Meet the Plasencias - La Esperanza
"My grandfather was a master baker, and that was his passion and between himself, my father, my two aunts, and other family members, we've grown it into what it is today," said Jorge Plasencia, Supervisor at La Esperanza.
"He (her grandfather) immigrated from Mexico, and when he came he first started working at La Fiesta Bakery, and then he opened up his own here at La Esperanza Bakery," said Natali Plasencia, Manager at La Esperanza.
"In Mexico, he had opened a couple of bakeries, and then the gentleman who owned la Fiesta bakery was a mentor to him, just working hard, saving, and just starting off small," said Jorge. "Literally, it was maybe 800 feet. He, himself, and two other bakers. He was wonderful at what he did and I think the community love that we were here through his work to help us grow to what it is today."
Jorge says the family business has been there for decades and aside from owning the bakery, they own a grocery store.
Meet Albert Davalos - Cook, Manager at El Novillero
"52 years in July, the restaurants been open, and I've been here since the first day when my father was a butcher," said Albert Davalos, cook and manager at El Novillero. "He had many friends that were in the bar business and he used to go visit them in restaurants. My father was always one that wanted to better himself. He asked my brother, who was 17 at that time, what do you plan on doing? And my brother really had nothing said about what he was going to do. And he goes, 'OK, I'm going to put you in business. You're going to have a restaurant.' And so we know a little bit about restaurants. We were young, but we work in the basement cutting meat and collecting beer bottles."
Davalos says it was his older brother that helped in the kitchen that had the idea. He says his father named the restaurant El Novillero, which translates to an apprentice bullfighter.
"My father was so loved," said Davalos. "When he passed away, we went to the cemetery after the mass (and) there was many mariachis, many people that knew my father... (they) gave my dad a big tribute and nobody told them about my father. They just knew about it."
He said his dad was in his 80s when he passes from cancer.
" he was a proud man," he said. "He worked every day. He had property — a ranch, and he loved his ranch. And every day he would work and do something, do something, do it better."
Meet Roxanne Urena - Owner of XX Tacos
"So XX Tacos is a business that started in 2020," said Roxanne Urena, owner of XX Tacos."(In) the beginning when we started, It's when the whole pandemic started. So our business was extremely slow. But starting last year in 2021 in May, it's when we did our first pop-up event with the community."
Urena says It's been a great opportunity for us to grow, especially working with the Franklin Boulevard District.
"It probably would have taken us way longer time to get to where we are right now without them, that we probably wouldn't have that opportunity right now," she said. "So it's been a great, great help for us."
Urena was born in Sacramento but grew up in Mexico. She came back to the US when I was a teenager.
"When I was 18 I joined the US Navy, so I was able to serve for four years in the US Navy," she said.
She then went to college and got her degree in biology.
"I started working at UC Davis as a chemist in a chemistry lab, but my brother and I wanted to start a business," said Urena. "My mom back home in Mexico had a taco food stand, so we wanted to create something for ourselves to have our own business here in this country. So we're both focusing completely on the business and it's been a great experience and we look forward to what we have God has for us in the future."
Back to the Boulevard information
Interested in attending Back to the Boulevard? Here's what you need to know:
When - Sunday, Sept.18
Where - Franklin Boulevard between 12th Avenue and Fruitridge Road
What - 2nd Annual Back to the Boulevard celebration
Cost - Free
Franklin Boulevard will be closed to vehicle traffic on Sept. 18 from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm to accommodate the event and ensure safety for all participants and attendees.
