STOCKTON, Calif. — This week marks the 50th anniversary for Stockton's iconic El Dorado Market.
The market on South El Dorado Street near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, has been a staple for families in the Port City for five decades now.
"The food is made from the old recipes that were handed out from my mom, grandmother, great-grandmother. So it's good food. It's not processed food. It's actually all made from scratch," said Hector Solorio, whose family still runs the business.
It all started when his parents Emiliano and Raquel Solorio came to the U.S. from Mexico in the 1950's.
Emiliano became a farm labor contractor and his wife cooked for the workers. But it was Hector's dad's dream earlier in life to own a store.
"And actually by the time he was nineteen, he actually wound up getting his own store, another small shop in Mexico. And, of course that ambition continued and I guess he had the American dream you know," said Solorio.
That dream became a reality in 1972 with the Stockton market, making home made tortillas, masa, tamales and more.
Five siblings all worked at the market as kids.
"I was eleven years old. We were all young at one time or another. My youngest brother was five, my sister was 12," said Emiliano Solorio, Jr., who now helps manage the store.
To make people want to come back time and time again, it takes an army of workers in the kitchen in the back making the tasty, traditional food from a variety of ingredients.
Enedelia Garabay has been a cook for over 20 years.
"This is my first job here. I feel comfortable here. I enjoy working with my co-workers," says Garabay.
Long time customers like Elizabeth Estrada come here for the flour tortillas.
"They bring them out at 9:30 in the morning and usually by noon there is none left," says Estrada.
Celeste Wilson moved to Idaho from Stockton, but had to make a stop for tamales and burritos when she came home to visit.
"There's no other place that we found that's comparable to this place," Wilson said as she patiently waited for her order.
So, what about the next 50 years?
"Hopefully one of my nephews or one of the grandchildren will obviously continue the business, continue the legacy," said Hector Solorio.
Raquel Solorio passed away five years ago. Emiliano Solorio is now 99 years old and still comes by the store from time to time.
The market is located at 1240 S. El Dorado Street just south of the city's Crosstown Freeway or Highway 4 and is open seven days a week.
The family says it's busiest day is Sunday and customers should be prepared to wait at times as it can get crowded with hungry customers.
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