Carlos Chico-Salcedo

Owner of Chico’s Tortas y Piñas Lokas in Santa Rosa, New Mexico

A trip to Santa Rosa isn’t complete without a stop at Chico’s Tortas y Piñas Lokas for Mexican specialties in a colorful atmosphere. First launched as a humble food stand by the lake, owner Carlos Chico-Salcedo, and his wife, Juany, took the leap and leased a brick-and-mortar building in 2018. To make their dream a reality, Carlos came to DreamSpring for three small business loans to expand his business in stages — starting with $4,000 and scaling up to $10,436.68. Over the years, five of their children and several nieces and nephews have joined the team. A family business backed by DreamSpring support and capital, Chico’s Tortas y Piñas has made a name for itself as a mom ‘n’ pop destination on old Route 66.