Each night, Sara Mena, entrepreneur, wife, and mother of two children, before going to sleep, thinks, “We made it through another day. I hope it repeats tomorrow.”
At a company she worked for, Sara Mena applied for an open position. The man who would make the decision expressed his doubt in giving her the job because of her accent.
“It hurt so much to hear that, but it helped me. From that moment, I promised myself to work twice or even four times as hard, they wouldn’t see me defeated,” says Mena, owner of Doña Bibis Restaurant, La Pulperia, and typical product shops.
“Racism exists, it’s real, but it can’t stop us. This blonde-haired, blue-eyed gringo doubted this Honduran woman with African roots who they confuse with being Dominican,” she tells me.
“Did you invite him to your restaurant?” I ask. “So he can see that the woman he rejected is now a successful entrepreneur.”
“I’ve thought about it,” she says, laughing.
Sara is a woman who doesn’t stop smiling, but that doesn’t mean every word she speaks isn’t full of wisdom. She is the best example that in these times of attacks on immigrants, hard work and dedication are the best response.
“We can’t let fear take over us; the unity of the community and hard work are our best assets.”
Sara is a woman who doesn’t stop smiling, but that doesn’t mean every word she speaks isn’t full of wisdom.
She migrated from Honduras to New York at the age of 16, where she attended high school. Her excellent grades brought her to California, where she began her university studies at California Lutheran University, graduating with a degree in Business Administration.
“So, I’ve combined my two passions in my business: management and gastronomy,” she says.
Her perseverance in business was learned from her father.
“Nunca se rajó,” she says proudly.
In 2017, she started her business with a food truck, “La Troca Catracha,” the first and only truck selling Honduran food in Los Angeles.
The year 2022 marked a new chapter in her life when she acquired Bibis Restaurant, an establishment that had been serving Los Angeles for 26 years. And now, she has opened La Pulperia.
And she jokes, “In my free time, I join the Toys for Smiles Foundation, which travels through Central America, Mexico, and other countries.”
One of the things she is most proud of is being able to contribute to the migrant community.
“I have 28 employees. That our businesses sustain 28 families is very positive,” she says.
At the opening of La Pulperia.
Mena’s vision goes beyond her business. Bibis Restaurant is located in the heart of MacArthur Park.
“Unfortunately, there are many problems: homelessness, drugs, crime. In the meetings we’ve had, I’ve insisted that we must develop programs, build children’s areas, we have to address the bad with positive programs, it’s the only way. At Bibis, we give food to any homeless person who arrives. The waiters already know. They wait at the door, we take them their food and water. Then we ask them not to stay in front of the restaurant. They don’t graffiti us, they don’t sleep outside,” she adds.
This is part of her way of managing her businesses.
“I have a small terrace, very nice. For me, customers should get the best. That’s how we attract other customers. Being a Honduran restaurant in a predominantly Mexican market is not easy. Recently, some Americans came who had been fishing at the lake, saw the restaurant, and came in. They thought it was Mexican food but were surprised by the Honduran food. We’re paying tribute to the diversity of our culture,” she adds.
For her, positivity and teamwork are the most important.
“My goal is to keep building a solid team,” she says.
Her advice for any entrepreneur isn’t complicated: believe in the project, believe in yourself, and seek out all the available resources.
“This is Los Angeles, it’s California, there are huge amounts of resources, you just have to find them,” she says.
Each night, Sara Mena, entrepreneur, wife, and mother of two children, before going to sleep, thinks, “We made it through another day. I hope it repeats tomorrow.”
And she ends by saying, “I go to bed late and wake up early. I have to make sure the entire staff is okay.”
Doña Bibis Restaurant
2400 W 7th St. Los Angeles, CA
(213) 383-8595
www.donabibisrestaurant.com
