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La Herradura is a rural success story, American style
by Joy Richter

Whenever I interview someone for a story, I'm never exactly sure what the real story will be. I knew this would be about Juan Pablo Sanchez and his wife, Magdalena (Maggie) who, along with Juan’s sister, operate a restaurant in O'Neill, Nebraska, but I found that it isn’t so much about a restaurant as a story about opportunity and gratitude; struggles and success.

Juan was one of three children, the son of a farmer/rancher who also ran a small, family grocery store in Ciudad Juarez. At 19, Juan emigrated, legally, to Omaha, where he and his uncle worked in construction. Soon after, he met Maggie at a rodeo dance and they were married and moved to O'Neill. He began working at a feedlot in Bartlett, Nebraska, as a cowboy and not long after was promoted for his ability in translating English for his fellow workers.

Maggie, who was working at 21st Century Growers in O'Neill at the time, suggested that Juan open a small place to sell tacos and burritos. Although his first effort failed, she urged Juan to open another, larger restaurant. Investors stepped forward, and La Herradura (the Horseshoe), opened for business in 2005. Maggie does the cooking — delicious authentic Mexican family recipes — Juan's sister helps out, and Juan is the waiter.

Towards the rear of the restaurant is Juan and Maggie's small Mexican grocery store. Juan stated that to obtain authentic Mexican foods, people had to travel to Norfolk or Grand Island, and it was a hardship and inconvenience. Now, Juan travels to Omaha to purchase items for the store, which features everything from piñatas to pickled pigs feet as well as various varieties of peppers, dried shrimp, tostados, fresh cow cheese, laundry detergent, and even Coca-Cola in bottles. Juan says the store is "good for the Mexican people."

An immigrants’ story

Maggie comes from a very poor village in Mexico. In 1992, along with some friends, Maggie boarded a bus headed for Los Angeles where she did menial cooking and cleaning jobs in exchange for a place to live. She worked in homes for about a year, then came to Omaha where two of her brothers lived.

This is when she met Juan, at the rodeo dance. After talking with him, and getting to know him, she could tell that he was not like the other men she’d met. "He knew what he wanted...he wanted a family, he wanted to stay the rest of his life with a woman. So I say, ‘he's a good man; he's my man, my love’."

"When I came to O'Neill, I see heaven for my family,” Maggie said. “Jesus gave me the opportunity to come. So, I come, work hard, respect the people, respect the law." When she has witnessed other immigrants drinking or doing drugs, she asks them, "Why do you put this opportunity in the trash?" She appreciates the United States for the opportunity, and also thanks the many people who have helped her.

Plans for the future

Juan appreciates the fact that their children (two boys and two girls) can walk to the pool, park, or play with friends and feel safe. "I like it here in O'Neill," he said. His dream is to someday own a small farm or ranch (he owns five Quarter horses that are pastured near town), open another restaurant in Omaha and, he hopes, one in his hometown in Mexico as well.

Maggie has many dreams of her own  — she wants to inspire her children to attend a university, and she wants to "make them very good people". She dreams of taking her children to Mexico "to show them where I was born, how I lived, so that they would know their (extended) family."

"That would help me to explain to them why we're here in the United States and why we work so hard," she said. Additionally, she would like to open a day care business where she would teach Spanish to the English speaking children.

So, come to La Herradura. Relax. Have lunch and meet the wonderful, gracious, friendly people who run this restaurant. They and their lives are an inspiration, and we are blessed to have such a caliber of people in this town.

Joy Richter is the author of two blogs: www.goodmorningmarysunshine.blogspot.com
and www.freshairlife.blogspot.com.  She also writes articles and contributes her photographs for 'J.R.LIGGETT'S Soap Box', a monthly e-newsletter accessed through www.jrliggett.com.

To learn more about how you can be a writer for Nebraska Rural Living, and have your essays posted on this site, visit our 'Writers Wanted' page.

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