Alameda Business Spotlight: Taqueria Ramiro & Sons

Owners:  Mom, Kim, and son, Nino Hernandez. Ramiro, the Taqueria's founder, and Kim's husband and Nino's father, passed away in 2005. 

How long have you been here? Kim: We are Alameda's original taqueria. We opened 28 years ago.

How has the menu changed in that time? It hasn't changed, except for a few special plates and we added the chicharrones. Two years ago, we raised prices. I just can't bring myself to do it again, even with business being down about 25 percent.

How long has your staff been here? My manager has been here 23 or 24 years, my cook 15 years, and my cashier 10 years. I am blessed. I really am. They keep the doors open.

What are day-to-day operations like? My son and I split the day. He comes in the morning, and I come in the afternoon and evening to take care of paperwork. I used to be a secretary at PG& E. I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd end up here. But I love it.

How many high school students do you get at lunch every day? It's hard to tell, honestly. But it's down. I don't think the students' parents are giving them as much money as they used. But sometimes there are still lines.

What do you like best about running the Taqueria? The best thing is seeing children grow up, come back home from college, and they want their particular meal when they come in. My granddaughter is the same. She's a vegetarian. When she comes back to Alameda she says, "I want a burrito like 'this, this and this.' And we say,"What about seeing your dogs first?" She says, "They can wait."