Chelaz Holds Grand Opening for Their Vibrant New Location

Everyone claps in celebration as Ruben Chavez cuts the ribbon at the Chelaz Grand Opening

Chelaz, now located on Mary Lou Drive in Del Rio, TX, has quickly become a beloved addition to the local dining scene here in Del Rio. Following its grand opening, the restaurant has received widespread acclaim from both locals and visitors.

"We've been operational for about two months, today we actually did our official ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce," said Ruben Chavez, who co-owns Chelaz with his wife, Linda. "Chelaz started over 15 years ago when we began making salsa at home and selling it at local markets in Del Rio. So we started kind of doing that and then, you know, time passed, COVID kind of hit, so we kind of stopped that, stopped that project that we had. So once my daughter goes to college and my son, you know, started growing up a little bit more, we had a little bit more time on our hands and we wanted to start the project all over again. So we decided last year to take the leap and create the company and rent an industrial space where we actually manufacture our chips and salsa. So we literally started with the sale of the salsas and a co-worker of my wife's actually asked her if we were going to sell chips that accommodate that type of salsa, which wasn't in the plans. So once he said that, I kind of, you know, took off with it with the idea and bought a small little fryer and made three different types of chips that we sell right now. So that kind of took off on itself and pretty much after that, you know, we had a spare time in that facility we were renting, so we started making Mexican-style burgers and started selling those. That kind of took off on itself, so it was kind of two different projects at the same time, chips and salsa and then the actual food."

Blanca Larson, Executive Director of the Del Rio Chamber of Commerce, praised Chelaz's dedication. "So it's important because this family has put 12 to 16 hours a day and all their hard work and investment into this project," she said. "The burgers are fantastic. We have someone with us that could not eat the bread. So they made the burgers with corn tortillas and it was probably the best hamburger we've ever tasted. So it's pretty awesome." Blanca added, "I like their chips and I love their guacamole salsa. So come and try, you can buy their chips, you can buy their guacamole salsa. And they also will do parties also and they'll do catering but you have to do this with time."

Jennelle Mijares, a staff member, shared her thoughts on the opening day. "Today has been a little hectic. I'm not going to lie with setting everything up, but it's been nice to see everything kind of come together. The feedback that we've gotten from everybody that's came in from Del Rio, we've had people from Eagle Pass, San Antonio come try our product, and we haven't had any single negative comment about our food, so I know that our food is good, and it's really nice to hear the feedback, because we know how hard they've worked on putting this out for the city of Del Rio." she said. Jennelle's favorite is the Mexican burger with bacon, which she described as "amazing."

The grand opening of Chelaz marks a new chapter them in Del Rio's dining scene, offering delicious food, lively events, and a welcoming community atmosphere. Whether you're a local or a visitor, Chelaz is poised to become a must-visit spot in town. Discover the charm of Chelaz and understand why it's quickly winning over the community of Del Rio!