News Release - El Coqui Celebrates Grand Opening

City of Rochester

News Release

(Friday, March 18, 2011) – Acting Mayor R. Carlos Carballada and City Councilmembers Carolee Conklin, Jacklyn Ortiz and Carla Palumbo joined owners Samantha Merced-Nieves and David Nieves to celebrate the grand opening of El Coqui Restaurant in the Maplewood neighborhood today. The restaurant is located at 1182 Dewey Ave.

“The restaurant provides a unique dining choice for neighbors and visitors to the Maplewood area,” said Acting Mayor Carballada. “We are pleased and grateful that Mr. and Mrs. Nieves chose to locate in this area and to do business in our city.”

Samantha and David Nieves, whose families originated in Santurce and Ojo de Agua, Puerto Rico, were raised in the Bronx, New York. After relocating to Rochester, they became frustrated that they could not find quality “home-style” Puerto Rican food. In 2009, the family decided to create a casual-style authentic Puerto Rican restaurant to share their traditions with the city of Rochester. The restaurant was named “El Coqui,” or “the frog,” after the national symbol of Puerto Rico.

“Dewey Avenue is a major corridor for vehicle traffic, located in the thriving Maplewood Neighborhood, with many potential customers,” the Nieveses said. “Additionally, the Hispanic population is growing in the area; with all of these benefits, we are confident we can be successful.”

Located across from the 100-year-old Aquinas Institute, El Coqui features authentic Puerto Rican dishes. In addition, the restaurant offers free WiFi and TV/DVD featuring Puerto Rican cultural programming. The restaurant interior was completely renovated before the opening and occupies about 1,000 sq. ft. in the building.

The City’s Neighborhood and Business Development Department assisted the owners with a Small Business Matching Grant, while the owners provided private equity of their own for the $131,000 project, which included the purchase of the mixed-use building. The restaurant has created four new jobs, two held by city residents, and the owners anticipate hiring up to 4 more employees within the next three years.

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News Media: For more information, contact Neighborhood and Business Development Acting Commissioner Bret Garwood at 428-6150.