“My mom is always inventing recipes,” Ariana said.
Time went on and Flavia’s children began to grow, but one thing stayed constant: breakfast burritos. That’s when a bright idea popped into Flavia’s brain: what if she began selling these prized meals?
“Since they were adults now, and I didn’t have to worry about insurance, I could take a risk,” Briones said.
Ariana Torres is owner of Barista del Barrio, which also has a popup site at Borderlands Sam Hughes, 2500 E. Sixth St., where she’s shown here preparing coffee orders.
Briones told her children about her idea to branch out and start a business. Sergio and Ariana put in all their support, dedicated to helping their mother achieve her dream.
“It was just like, all right, let’s do it and we’ll see what happens,” Ariana said. “My brother and my mom were able to kind of come together and work here while I still work at my full-time job so we still had some form of other income.”
Flavia’s boss cautioned her about quitting and starting a new business, and let her know she could come back if things didn’t work out.
That warning couldn’t have been less needed.
The silver trailer that sat in Barrio Hollywood became an overnight sensation, with lines of people standing outside waiting for their chance to try Barista Del Barrio’s chorizo burritos. Sometimes, the family would sell out of everything by 9 a.m., just two hours after they opened.
At first Ariana just helped on the weekends, but as their popularity continued to rise, she decided to quit her full-time job and dedicate her time to Barista Del Barrio, just like her mother did.
Soon, they outgrew the trailer and moved into a small building that sat at their location. The lines have continued to be a staple, with many people happy to stand and wait for a savory carne con chile burrito and a nutty Mazapán latte.
