After moving to Lompoc, Carlos Villa noticed a lack of what he considered good, high quality restaurants.
So last January, Carlos and his brother Eddie decided to build one of their own in the shopping plaza on the corner of Central Avenue and H Street. Working by themselves, they completed construction in a few months and opened the restaurant on April 4.
“It was a very risky move,” Carlos said. “By the time we were finished, we only had $20 in the bank account. I had no money left.”
He said that a lot of their do-it-yourself know-how came from watching YouTube videos showing how to build tables and benches.
But walking inside the restaurant, it’s hard to tell that amateurs did the work. The ambiance contains a rustic flair, with wooden tables and country music playing over the speakers. Pictures of classic cars and trucks adorn the walls. ESPN blasts sports over the big screen televisions.
Getting to the point where he could build a restaurant wasn’t an easy ride for Villa. After years of working on a farm in central Mexico, Carlos immigrated to Santa Barbara on a work visa with his wife in 1999. He got a job working at the Good Earth Restaurant and worked there for a short period of time. Then he moved on to the Natural Café and eventually became a district manager, working there for nearly 14 years. He learned virtually every aspect of the restaurant business. It was at the Natural Café where he formed his entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to start his own restaurant.
His work visa expired, and he started the process of attaining U.S. citizenship. It took him 10 years and $16,000, but he and his family finally became U.S. citizens in 2010. Housing in Santa Barbara became a bit pricey and he needed a bigger home for his wife and two kids, so he moved to Lompoc and immediately began to do research. Carlos and his brother found and occupied the empty space next to Dragon Palace, which eventually became Eddie’s Grill.
A meal at Eddie’s Grill costs around $10. The restaurant specializes in making hamburgers, sandwiches, and salads. There is a cooler full of cold bottles of beer and a Freestyle Coca Cola machine with more than 100 drink choices. Food is ordered at the counter and brought to the table. Popular menu items include the Santa Barbara chicken cobb salad and the milkshakes, which are made with real fruit and ice cream.
“It’s more expensive that way, but it’s the only way to make it,” Carlos said.
Now he has 14 employees working for him at his restaurant. He said he’s not hiring but is always willing to consider the right applicant for a job.
After being in business for eight months, Villa reported that the numbers show he is doing 40 percent better than what he originally projected. Because his restaurant is doing so well, Villa is thinking about opening another one in Santa Maria.
“I was right when I said Lompoc needed a good burger place,” Villa said.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Dec 4-11, 2014.