Scrumptious News!

On Thursday, July 24 at 8 am, chef Joel Lopez will open his new Mexican food truck, the Taqueria la Bendicion, or Taqueria the Blessing, in our neighborhood hub at the corner of SF and Bethel streets across from Roosevelt School. Yup, you read that right – we now have a food truck in the ‘hood! 

From demolishing the old garage at the corner, to establishing a beautiful new pocket park, to securing the pile of permits required to open a food truck, it took decades of neighborhood organizing and hard work to get to this day. And Joel’s truck is just the beginning. Later this summer or fall, we expect a coffee shed and a second food truck called Panda Wok to open. 

Huge thanks to the City of Olympia for their support through the Neighborhood Matching Grant program, and to everyone that helped make this delicious dream come true, especially former NENA Board member Mike Dexel; Yu Kim, the property owner; BK Lee, the owner of the Convenience Store; and Linda Andrews who worked her landscaping magic to bring color and beauty to the pocket park. And of course, thanks to Joel, for choosing to open his first food truck in our neighborhood. Let’s give him a hearty NE neighborhood welcome by stopping by to say hi (or Hola y bienvenidos), and to sample his fare. Joel will be open everyday at 8 am for breakfast, except Sunday when the truck will be closed. Closing times may vary, but most nights he expects to be open to at least 8:30 pm in the summer.

P.S. – Check out these slides to see the transformation of the site, from 1959 when there was a German Hot Rod garage at the corner, through many decades of decline, to its recent revival as a vibrant neighborhood center.