By: Sara Espinosa
Carlos Ramos keeps a logbook of the orders he takes every day. He doesn’t have a cash register so he logs everything in by hand. Carlos, a Salvadorian immigrant, is the owner of Carlito’s Pupuseria, a Mexican-Salvadorian food truck in West Eugene. Besides taking orders, he also cooks, answers the phone, and cleans the kitchen. His business is a one-man show.
Carlito’s Pupuseria is located on the corner of Monroe & 6th Ave. and it is open from Monday to Saturday 10 am to 7 pm. Carlos’ mix of Mexican and Salvadorian cuisine earned him a respectable clientele that he is very proud of. Pupusas, a traditional Salvadorian plate, are very popular amongst his clients, of which he said 30% are Latino. “They really are good people, they’re always looking to excel, to move forward, they are fighters that are looking every day for a better wellbeing for themselves and their families,” Carlos said. Family and education are both very important to him. Two of his three kids are currently attending Lane Community College and his wife is learning English. Carlos has a business administration degree and studied English for 3 years. “I don’t know it very well but I can defend myself,” he chuckled.
Carlos owned a restaurant and a car rental business in El Salvador. “I was very well in El Salvador, I had my businesses and everything, but I came here because of all the violence,” he said. With the help of a childhood friend, the Ramos family moved to Eugene, OR. “At first it was a bit disappointing, I would say, because of the conditions that we lived in at El Salvador. We had a house, a home, and then to come here to start from zero, it was hard to a certain point,” he said. When he arrived at Eugene he started a food truck in Seneca St but was eventually shut down by the city. After a few weeks, he was able to secure his current spot, which he’s grown to love. Karla Ramos, his oldest daughter, is very proud of her dad and his accomplishments. “He is very entrepreneurial, he doesn’t have a boss, and it is nice that he is sharing our culture with the people here in Eugene,” Karla said.
Carlos hopes to keep expanding his business and one day open a restaurant. “I’m one of the people that have always liked to have their own business. It is nice to have a job and all that, but it’s not like having one’s own and to have the vision to see it grow and multiply what’s yours,” Carlos said. His first step, however, is to buy a cash register.