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Eight years ago in Pilsen, Angel Emmanuel Alcantar opened his business, Frida Room. In his words, the Chicago restaurant chain “uniquely showcases the flavors I grew up with,” serving dishes inspired by recipes passed down to him from his grandmother. With Frida Room, Angel carefully curated each detail to capture and convey the lively decor and culture of Mexico City.
Frida Room is not Angel’s first entrepreneurial venture, however. “I have over 20 years of experience as a business owner, but never as a restaurateur,” he said. Despite his extensive experience, Angel shared with the Source that “running a business is not easy.”
To overcome the challenges that come along with owning and operating a small business, Angel participated in business advising with the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC), a Business Support Organization (BSO) partner with the Source. Within the IHCC, Angel found not only the technical support he needed but also a friend in his advisor, Uriel Mendez. “I can call him whenever I need him. We have had a great relationship,” Angel said. “He always lends me a hand and has been closely involved in the buildout of our new [Lincoln Park] location.”
Angel credits the success of his recently opened location in Lincoln Park to the work he has done with Uriel as his business advisor and the IHCC as a whole. When asked if he would recommend working with an advisor, Angel shared:
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