El Sabor Chapin

El Sabor Chapin

Relief & Recovery Grant, 2022

El Sabor Chapin

One of the only restaurants in South Philadelphia specializing in Guatemalan and Honduran cuisine, El Sabor Chapin was purchased by Jose Rodriguez Guardado and his wife, Vanesa, in 2020 though they weren’t able to get their doors open until early 2022. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the purchase included $8,000 in
past-due utility debt that had been accrued by the prior owner. The inherited debt created a tremendous barrier to profitability, as well as additional stress for Jose. TMF awarded a Relief & Recovery grant of $70,000 to get El Sabor Chapin current on the utilities, as well as for marketing.

Jose also took advantage of TM F’s Beyond the Grant program and received coaching from George with support from Leah Reisman a Board Member of the Asociaci6n de Empresarios Mexicanos en Philadelphia and formerly with Puentes de Salud, the partner who initially referred El Sabor Chapin for a grant. In the six months since they’ve been working together, Jose has turned operations around from monthly losses to strong monthly profits, created and implemented a simple bookkeeping system that works for him and his business, found a new accountant-improving the quality of his tax filings-and worked towards increasing his restaurant’s visibility.

In Jose’s words, the funds and coaching he received “helped me in so many ways. I have been able to generate more income, bring in more clients, and have more control over the business. We are freer, and we can take better care of our daughters.”