OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — His last name isn't Midas, though it seems Javier Trujillo Villa has the 'golden touch.' Though his success hasn't been without obstacles. As he set out to open his first restaurant, 10 banks turned him down.
"It was hard. Not necessarily because I felt rejected. I just felt no one believed."
- Having spent a few decades in the restaurant industry working for a large company, Trujillo Villa decided - through the pandemic - to invest in his own goals.
- Since 2020, he has opened three Javi's Tacos, Time to Rise & Shine, Frosty Mug Sports Bar and Helados Locos, which serves ice cream made in South Omaha, and his take on upscale Mexican, El Milagro, opens in April.
- As Trujillo Villa eyes what's next, he plans to open seven additional Javi's Tacos. His neighborhood wishlist includes Gretna, Bennington, Papillion and Bellevue.
Here is the expanded version of the story:
For a few decades, he might have influenced your dining-out experience, but you didn't know his name.
Foodies got to know it after he put it on his first business. Javi's Tacos in 2020.
"Our food is different. I don't call it authentic or Mexican. It's just different, you know," he said.
Venturing out was a risk. Javier Trujillo Villa worked for years for a large restaurant company. But through the pandemic, he wanted more. He'd face more than his share of obstacles. The first 10 banks he approached — passed.
"It was hard," he explained. "Not necessarily because I felt rejected. I just felt no one believed."
Trujillo Villa is intentional about the difference between goals and dreams.
"I've always told people: I have a goal. I have a goal of what I want to do... Once your dream gets crushed, it really takes a long time for people to analyze themselves. To put themselves through -- to give it another try."
He opened his second location six months after the first, then added a third Javi's Tacos. And then, he did something unheard of.
"I should be like Omaha Magazine man of the year or something," he joked.
Trujillo Villa opened three concepts in 45 days: Time to Rise & Shine, Frosty Mug Sports Bar and Helados Locos — where his commitment to all things community is as evident as anything.
Instead of serving products made in another state or country, he chose to serve Mexican ice cream made in South Omaha.
Next up: An upscale Mexican restaurant called El Milagro, which opens in the Pepperwood neigbhorhood this April.
"I think we have a lot of loyal customers that love what we've done. And for me, I don't know, I openly tell people that for me, it's not about getting rich or making money, it's about providing opportunities."
Talk to Trujillo Villa long enough, you'll learn that outlook comes from his parents. His mom worked in the fields in California. His dad, who passed away a few years ago on Fathers Day, owned a small appliance repair business.
"He always told me, 'Be cautious of what you're doing. Don't do too much. And learn when to stop.'"
He's not there yet.
After El Milagro, Trujillo Villa wants to add seven additional Javi's Tacos. His neighborhood wishlist includes Gretna, Bennington, Papillion and Bellevue.
"That is the American Dream, right? You come here, you bust your butt and hopefully your kids appreciate what you've done," he said.
Though his daughter is only 11 years old, he hopes she'll work for the company in time.
To date, Trujillo Villa has created 93 jobs and expects to add as many as 30 more with El Milagro.