A Minneapolis CDFI Awards a Man with the Financing, and Skills, to Pursue His Dream
Client: Manny’s Tortas
Client Location: Minneapolis, MN
CDFI: Neighborhood Development Center
CDFI Service Area: Minneapolis
Financing and technical assistance
Manny González moved to Minnesota in the 1980s with two big dreams: to learn English and to own his own restaurant.
He realized the first one relatively quickly. Then ― in 1998 ― he saw a way forward on the second when he read about an innovative project sponsored by the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC): the Cooperativa Mercado Central. The new market had space for five food businesses, and Manny saw his chance. He enrolled in NDC’s 16-week entrepreneur-training program, where he developed a business plan for what would become Manny’s Tortas, a shop that specializes in hearty Mexican sandwiches.
Today the business is a Minneapolis success story, with locations at both the Mercado Central and another market as well as a regular booth at the Minnesota State Fair. He and his business partner ― his sister Vicki ― employ a total of 12 people.
Manny says the support he got from Neighborhood Development Center was crucial: “They take you by the hand and say, OK, this is how you’re supposed to get into the program, get loans, get permits, I knew about food, but the business aspect is totally different, and NDC helps you with that.”