HOLYOKE ― When Xiomara Rosa washed dishes at Bueno Y Sano more than 20 years ago, she never imagined she’d one day own a franchise. This week, that dream becomes reality in Holyoke.
The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce invites the public to a ribbon-cutting Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. at 514 Westfield Road to celebrate Bueno Y Sano’s eighth location.
Organizers said in a statement that the new restaurant shows how the chain grew from a small Amherst shop into a regional favorite — and marks Rosa’s rise from dishwasher to the first woman to own the franchise.
From dishwasher to franchise owner
The franchise grew from one burrito shop in Amherst in 1995 to now eight locations across the region.
Founder Bob Lowry, then fresh out of college, worked with Salvadoran families to create the restaurant’s homemade recipes.
Behind the counter is Rosa, who said her aunt helped Lowry when he opened the first restaurant — and now she’s helping Rosa.
That partnership helped make restaurant successful and is still part of the company’s identity 30 years later, with many of the original families still involved.
“My aunts, uncles, cousins and friends are working with me, and I’m proud to be building this with my family,” she said.
Rosa started as a dishwasher 20 years ago as the restaurant celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2005, she said.
She said she still remembers her first day. Burritos were $5, the lines stretched out the door, phones were ringing and about 15 people were working in the kitchen, she recalled.
“It was so busy. I thought it would be impossible,” she said.
Her hard work and leadership helped her learn every job in the restaurant, and for the past 12 years she managed the Northampton location.
Rosa now lives in Amherst with her three kids and found the new Holyoke location by chance.
She was taking her son to a soccer game and planned to stop for pizza on the way home when she saw a sign saying a restaurant was closing.
“I knew the space would be empty, but I didn’t know how long it would take,” she said. That was at the end of 2023.
Although becoming a franchise owner was challenging, but rewarding, especially as a woman.
“But when you put God first and let Him guide you, He proves you can do it,” she said.
Food and community
Rosa said she wants to connect with the community through food and make this restaurant stand out.
“We’re not like big chains — our name means ‘good and healthy,’” she said.
The menu, which started with burritos, now includes quesadillas, tacos, salads, and vegetarian and vegan options.
The team also smokes brisket in-house, cooks beans daily, makes barbecue sauce from scratch, squeezes lemons, and buys local ingredients, she said. “We don’t buy cans — everything is made in-house,” Rosa said.
Corn tortillas come from Mi Tierra Tortilla in Hadley, and beef for the chili burrito is sourced from a South Deerfield farm.
She added that she loves talking to customers, hearing feedback and taking their advice.
The Holyoke restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“I really want people to visit us — not just in Holyoke, but in West Springfield, Springfield and South Deerfield,” Rosa said.
