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Nominate a Mama!
Meet Maria Corbalan
by
Jennifer Marine This is Maria's third business in eight years at the
present location -- a Mexican gift shop went by the wayside (anyone
remember Curiosity Killed the Cat?), along with a convenience store, Sugar
and Spice. She opened a little trailer on the spot four years ago to the
chorus of Are you crazy? from friends. You’re next to Matt’s
El Rancho and Kerbey Lane and you’re going to open up a shack with five
tables? they chided. Initially, it looked like they might be right: 17
dollars a day wasn’t going to cut it. But three months into Taco
Express, the Austin American Statesman did their first article on her, and
she watched her sales jump to 300 dollars a day. Trailer-days behind her, Maria now has 18 employees, a
thriving business, and potential investors pleading with her to open a
chain. Fat chance, she’ll tell you. She’s happy with the way things
are. Three businesses, a tiny, hot trailer; persistence is a
watchword with Maria. She'd traveled all three Americas alone before she
was 19, and couldn’t speak English when she first moved here. She’s
lived in Columbia, Jamaica, Las Vegas, New York -- even writing a book
about her travels in the process, (she’ll add more as her life unfolds.)
Through trial and error, she finally found something that worked, and now
she’s hoping to take a little time, after three years of 16 hour days,
to stop and smell… something other than tacos. Here's what Maria had to say: What two notable people would you like to see
handcuffed together for a day? Damn! I don’t know… Bin Laden and Bush? Nothing good
would come of it… Wow… Well, probably two people that love each other.
If you handcuffed two people that don’t, it would be hard to do that…
I don’t know who though, two people that could have a good time, go into
a room and cut the lights, give them a whip… (wicked laugh) Who inspired you when you were growing up and why? I had an aunt that inspired me a lot -- she wrote poetry
for kids, she had a beautiful little house that always smelled good. She
was free, she always traveled, she was very elegant. A lot of people
followed her because she was fun and witty and open, she was a good one, I
adored her.
Some people might be
surprised to learn that Maria Corbalan has been in Austin for 19 years,
because she still has the kind of enthusiasm for the city as that of a
newcomer. A native of Argentina, she’s the hardworking owner of Taco
Express, a stuffed-and-folded slice of heaven on South Lamar that fulfills
some serious Mexican food addictions this side of the river. Musicians,
politicians, kids and construction workers, you’ll find all types at
Taco Express, salivating and perusing the funky, arty walls while waiting
patiently in line. And although Maria doesn't have children, per se,
she does in fact nurture a very large, devout, hungry "family"
of taco-aficionados.
(continued at top right)
The
Countess Galleria / Sarah Higdon
You are face to face with your ten-year-old self. You
have one thing to say to her about her future, what do you say?
Don’t worry about it, you’re gonna make it all
better. What is the biggest problem you see mothers being
faced with today? Reality honey, there’s a lot of drugs out there, a lot
of a nasty, very serious bloody shows, guns at school, actually
everything! The world is very aggressive, there are wars everywhere, AIDS
now, all kinds of dishonesty and greediness. It’s very hard to be a good
parent, that’s why I’m not one -- if I’m not going to be a good one,
then I’ll just have dogs! What do you see as your biggest challenge in being
the kind of person you want to be? That I have a promise to myself to do one good thing a
day. I don’t care if it’s to a person I know, or a stranger or to a
dog. One good act, if all of us would do one good thing a day, if we’d
all stop being so envious and nasty, this world would be so much better.
So, for all of us, I guess, not to be a pain in the ass! What makes you most happy about what you give back to
the world? I don’t do things to be appreciated, but I love it
when someone says thank you. I love to do good things for people. Tell me about Taco Express, it’s kind of like the
Mexican version of an English pub. It’s our home down here, that’s what I want. I want
people to give hugs and kisses when they get there, for people to all know
each other, to be homey. To be a place maybe down the road when you get
old, and say, (with affection) remember that little shack?! I’ve
had people offer me money, to do chains, to open other places, and I say
no, then you start cheating your name. This is perfect. I mean I wish I
had a better kitchen, more tables inside and everything, but then again,
what it is is what I’ve got, and I’m happy, We’re never content with
what we have…so enjoy what you’ve got and fuck it, right? It’s one
of a kind, it’s a fun business, I get to know neighbors, my friends, I
get to give more personalized attention. It’s my baby
What do you wish you could automatically grant, like a fairy godmother, to mothers during trying times?
Peace of mind. A lot of money to go to the shrink, a good massage, some time to get a pedicure, a maid, but basically, some peace of mind.
Thanks Maria!
