The first to launch out of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce’s De La Mano business advisory program.
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LITTLE VILLAGE — A dream came true for a Little Village family as they celebrated the ribbon cutting Saturday of their new Mexican restaurant, El Callejon del Beso, in suburban Cicero.
El Callejon del Beso, 5827 W. 16th St. in Cicero, specializes in Mexican-style barbecued and grilled meat dishes like parrillada. Quesabirrias, chilaquiles and arrachera, or Mexican-style skirt steak, are among the best-selling dishes, co-owner Alejandro Ballesteros said.
El Callejon del Beso is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
The restaurant’s name pays homage to the family’s hometown in Guanajuato, Mexico, where the legendary tourist destination Callejon del Beso, or Alley of the Kiss, is located.
Ballesteros opened the restaurant with his father Jose Ballesteros and uncle Juan Ballesteros, who all dreamed of owning something of their own, Alejandro Ballesteros said.
For support and guidance in starting their business, the family turned to the Little Village Chamber of Commerce.
Last year, the Little Village chamber launched its De La Mano program, providing free business consulting to new and existing businesses throughout the city.
El Callejon del Beso is the program’s first entrepreneurial project that started as an idea and is now a brick-and-mortar business, said Jennifer Aguilar, executive director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce.
Thanks to the De La Mano program, the Ballesteros family was able to register the business as a corporation and with the Internal Revenue Service, find the right storefront in nearby Cicero, apply for a business license, learn how to manage operations, keep records and promote the restaurant.
“Without the chamber’s help, the restaurant wouldn’t be up to date with all business requirements, taxes and all the licenses needed,” Alejandro Ballesteros said.
When businesses are not properly set up from the start, they could later struggle to grow, even if they are financially successful or owners have plans of expanding, said Roberto Cornelio, business advisor at the Little Village Chamber of Commerce. It could also exclude them from applying for grants or other funding opportunities.
“They become businesses that are literally destined to remain at that point, at that level, because growing the business becomes incredibly difficult,” Cornelio said.
El Callejon del Beso’s official opening in September would have also been delayed if the owners had to navigate codes and regulations to apply for a business and a liquor license on their own, Alejandro Ballesteros said.
As a liaison between business owners and elected officials, Cornelio helped the Ballesteros family streamline the application process with the township of Cicero and understand their lease agreements.
Helping business owners navigate these financial and legal complexities is important to reduce risks before and after opening, Cornelio said.
“Any business presents a huge risk. There are no guarantees. Restaurants are particularly risky because of the perishable nature of the product they use,” Cornelio said.
For the Ballesteros family, the restaurant is an opportunity to apply the experience the family has gained to something they now own and can pass on, Alejandro Ballesteros said.
“We invested all of our savings into this opportunity,” Alejandro Ballesteros said. “We went for it and decided to open the restaurant we always dreamed of.”
Alejandro’s father, José Ballesteros, came to work to the Chicago in the ’80s. He worked in a steel mill before an injury forced him to shift to the restaurant industry. Alejandro’s uncle, Juan Ballesteros, has decades of experience working at restaurants, designing menus and developing recipes, Alejandro Ballesteros said.
Little Village is a supportive community for Latinos, many of whom Alejandro Ballesteros grew up visiting at local restaurants, shops and street food stands, he said. The decision to open in Cicero rather than Little Village hinged on finding the right storefront for the restaurant’s needs, he said.
The Little Village Chamber recognizes the entrepreneurial spirit of Latinos like the Ballesteros family who have industry experience and a desire to have something of their own, Cornelio said.
“But the reality is that for the number of Latino small businesses and number of entrepreneurs in our community, the assistance is minimal compared to the need,” Cornelio said.
Across the country, only 10 percent of Latino-owned businesses have paid employees, and only 3 percent of those generate more than $1 million in annual revenue, according to a 2023 Stanford study.
Through the De La Mano program, the Little Village Chamber of Commerce can help existing businesses scale up or apply for existing opportunities to become government vendors or receive grants, leaders said.
For the Ballesteros family, this is just the beginning. Alejandro Ballesteros dreams of growing into a chain with thriving restaurants, building a foundation for his family and future generations, he said.
“The LVCC helps us with everything. Taxes, licenses or any questions we have, they help us with it all,” he said.
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