Cielito Lindo, the family run taquito stand perched at the top of Olvera Street, quietly slid its window back open on Monday after a wave of community fundraising helped pay for urgent repairs. The nearly century old counter had gone dark in May while the fourth generation owners untangled staffing problems and tackled long delayed infrastructure work.
The family's GoFundMe shows $53,190 raised from more than 1,000 donors, surpassing a $40,000 goal and giving the owners enough cash to finish plumbing and electrical fixes. NBC Los Angeles filmed the low key reopening and reported the stand was once again serving customers this week.
Owners had temporarily shut the stand on May 12 after discovering that employees appeared to be skimming cash and while confronting urgent electrical problems, according to the Los Angeles Times. Manager Liliana Robertson told the Times that records suggested as much as $600 per shift was disappearing, and the family used the pause to shore up the operation and complete repairs before reopening.
Olvera Street's broader struggles
Across Olvera Street, merchants have been wrestling with falling foot traffic, mounting rent debt and costly, aging infrastructure that has pushed several long running stalls to the brink. Coverage of the plaza's precarious moment by on the brink and Los Angeles Magazine detailed how pandemic impacts and deferred maintenance have squeezed family businesses that help define the historic marketplace.
Fundraiser, message and return
The owners publicly thanked supporters as they flipped the sign back to "open," writing on social media, "After six long weeks behind the scenes, we are finally open!" According to Secret Los Angeles, the family is keeping reduced hours for now while they finish up remaining work behind the counter.
What comes next
Local coverage noted that the reopening lined up with an uptick in visitors tied to World Cup activity, giving the stand a well timed revenue bump. CBS Los Angeles and other outlets report that the fundraiser has bought the family some breathing room, but that long term stability will depend on steady foot traffic and how the city addresses repairs to the historic, city owned buildings that house the vendors.
The crowd sourced rescue highlights how neighborhood donors can keep a local institution afloat, at least for now. The family's GoFundMe still lists $53,190 raised from roughly 1,000 donors, enough to get Cielito Lindo serving taquitos again on Olvera Street.
