Putting burritos to service
Gary Hines, founder and owner of the Stripes Biscuit Co. on Gibson said he is opening a new drive thru/ eatery on Menaul NE named the Stripes Burrito Co.
Hines said he purchased the old Valero gas station at 2204 Menaul NE because he thought it would be a great location to expand his patriotic themed business.
Stripes Burrito Co. has been completely remodeled inside and out to look like a retro drivethrough, and with only 900 square feet of space that will seat 10.
“What’s happening is a lot of these little gas stations are closing because the big ones have taken over,” he said. “So I thought I would tap into this trend and see how it will go.”
Hines opened the Stripes Biscuit Co. just over a year ago offering the Veterans Affairs Hospital 15 percent of his proceeds to honor veterans, a tradition he says he will carry to the new business.
Another way Hines is honoring veterans is by placing photos of them on every square inch of wall space.
Hines said the breakfast burritos at the Stripes Burrito Co. will be made with finely chopped red potatoes that are never frozen. The burritos will come in two sizes: regular and large.
“The regular size will be what most people get at a Blake’s (Lotaburger), and the large will be for those with a hearty appetite,” he said.
Hines said the patriotic theme that infuses his restaurants come from the heart.
“My dad, who was in the Army, has always been my idol, so this was my way of honoring him and all the men and women who fight for our freedom,” he said. “He left me too soon. And, also, this is a way of honoring my daughter’s husband, who is also in the service.”
A select style
A new style of cuisine is being offered at two new Weck’s Select locations in the former Le Peep restaurants at 4921 Jefferson NE and 11004 Montgomery NE.
Joe Garcia, vice president for operations at Weck’s, said the idea to rebrand the two locations has been in the works for a while.
“These two locations are a spinoff of the Weck’s concept with an avenue for culinary creativity,” Garcia said. “We are excited about the future and thankful to the community for being so supportive.”
Garcia said many of the ideas for new menu items at the Weck’s Select locations came from customers. The new items include traditional corned beef hash, different styles of eggs Benedict, and multiple combinations of waffles, pancakes and French toast.
Weck’s Select will also offer weekly specials that are not available at any other Weck’s family restaurant locations.
“We always say that our board of directors sits in our restaurants every day,” he said. “So when a customer gives us a suggestion, we try to listen.”
Garcia said Weck’s isn’t ruling out any future plans to rebrand its other locations to Weck’s Select restaurants.
“We are open right now to any future possibilities,” he said. “If this is a success, then we may offer it at other locations, but for now we are happy with the outcome at out first two Weck’s Select locations.”
Happy at 100 mph
David Hanisch, owner of Dave’s Valley Grill, 6601 Fourth NW, said he never thought running a restaurant would become part of his retirement plan.
Hanisch, a seasoned restaurateur who has owned and operated six restaurants, said a twist of fate made him return to the food service business.
“In 2017, I left food service and became a full-time Realtor when I found this location while on a listing appointment,” Hanisch said. “After I stopped in, the owner said he wanted to sell his restaurant, and I said I would buy it.”
And he’s already got expansion plans. Hanisch said he will be opening up an additional 1,600 square feet by transforming the store west of his restaurant into a taproom that offers a wide selection
of wine this summer.
“I am the kind a of guy that wouldn’t have really enjoyed retirement,” he said. “I’m only happy if I’m moving 100 miles per hour.”
Hanisch, 69, said he wanted to create a place that reflected his Minnesota roots. The items on Dave’s menu include sweet cream griddle cakes, a tavern pot roast bowl and seven gourmet burgers.
“I wanted to create a place that had American comfort food by creating a meat-potatoes type menu,” he said. “There’s nothing like that around here at all. Most of the restaurants in this area offer New Mexican or Mexican-style food.”
Hanisch began renovating the 4,600-square-foot space last summer, transforming it from a burger joint into what he describes as an industrial modern chic-style eatery.
“I dipped into my retirement fund to make this happen,” he said. “I had no plan whatsoever to be doing this at my age, but I believed in this location enough to give it my all.”
Coffee spot in the Sawmill District
Allen Bassett, former president of New Mexico Pinon Coffee, has opened a new coffee business at 815 Bellamah NW called Sol Rio Coffee.
According to a news release, the new facility is capable of roasting and distributing 1.2 million pounds of coffee and has been distributing three brands of coffee to Albertsons Market since July.
“Coffee is such a daily staple in so many lives we had to find a fit that made sense,” Basset said in a press release. “Going with organic blends and flavors seemed obvious and gives us the vehicle to impact the local community as we continue to grow.”
Basset celebrated Sol Rio Coffee’s grand opening on Feb. 1 giving away full bags of freshly roasted coffee to the first 200 customers.
A star is moving
Rustic Star owner Kelly Adams said he is moving his Nob Hill business at 3407 Central NE to the Tin Can Alley development going up at Alameda and San Pedro NE.
“They just broke ground at the new location, which is basically going to be like Green Jeans 2.0,” Adams said. “We completed our lease here and saw the opportunity to start anew in a different location.”
According to Adams, the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project hurt his business enough that he wasn’t interested in sticking around in the Nob Hill area.
“I not saying we lost any money here; I’m just saying we didn’t make a penny, and that’s not a good business model at all,” he said.
Adams said he will be offering more Italian-style dishes at the new location, as well as the food Rustic Star is already known for.
“Basically we are going to stick to our rustic roots, which is back to the food truck … stuff like burgers and fries, and I’m sure we will make some stuff up,” Adams said.
Rustic Star will reopen at its new location in about eight months, he said.