“Hola,” the official greeter of Pana’s says to a large group of people walking in. Standing three feet tall, and no older than four years old, he’s the son of Ernesto and Candi, Pana’s owners. Full of enthusiasm, he welcomes everyone into the new space that Pana’s just moved into.
Originally a food truck, Pana’s celebrated its grand opening at 8316 E 61st, Suite #102. A long time coming, Pana’s utilized Avanzando Juntos’ $10,000 loan to make their restaurant dreams a reality.
“Pana,” slang for friend or close familiar in Venezuelan Spanish is exactly what Candi would call all her customers. Hailing from Maracay, Venezuela, Candi started her business with her husband, Ernesto, five years ago. “I had this idea of creating something new. I was working at McDonald’s for four years, cooking food. But, I missed the flavors found in the foods of our country, and that’s how Pana’s came to be,” Candi tells me, in between serving immense portions of their favorite Venezuelan dishes: patacón, tequeños, and of course, arepas. They also like to experiment with new offerings, “we have hamburgers, arepas, and sandwiches [called patacones] that no other restaurant around here has. That’s what makes Pana’s special.”
Though I’ve only been in Tulsa for a little over a month and a half, I have visited Pana’s three times. Each time I’ve taken different friends or family members so they can experience the ambiance, customer service, and food that sets Pana’s apart from any other restaurant in Tulsa.
The story of Pana’s isn’t a common one. For over a year, Candi and Ernesto had wanted to take their business to the next level. “Having a food truck was easy. With the clientele and the support, we could make it work, but we wanted more,” including opening up their own restaurant in the area where they stationed their food truck. However, it proved to be more difficult than they had thought.
The owners of the strip mall where they had intended to purchase their locale kept delaying the process, yet they deemed that it was still worth the struggle. Through a year full of hardships and adversity, Candi and Ernesto prevailed, with the creation of Pana’s, a brick-and-mortar restaurant, finally coming to fruition. “It’s better having a restaurant [for] many [reasons],” Candi says, talking about the difficulty of working in such a small space. Not only do you have to account for the crowdedness, but the unpredictability of the weather is also a major factor.
Candi doesn’t like the weather here in Tulsa. “The weather is never agreeable. Especially in Tulsa. One day it’s cold, another hot,” and it affects their clients, or rather whether they show up or not. That’s where a restaurant is much easier to manage. But moving into a restaurant takes a lot of work too. “There’s a lot more bills to pay: water, electricity, utilities; bills we didn’t really have to pay too much on before.” But she is glad they made the switch to a restaurant.
After attending Avanzando Juntos’ workshops, including one on Finding a Commercial Space, they found their perfect home for Pana’s: 8316 E 61st, Suite #102. Utilizing another Avanzando Juntos client to print the art design on the inside of their restaurant, Pana’s has been packed since its opening in early June.
Candi said obtaining the loan was relatively easy, adding that “once we had our papers in order, it was really simple. It took 20 days and the [Avanzando Juntos staff] helped us a lot.” She said that after she pays it off she will obtain another one, with the hopes of creating more Pana’s in Bixby or Owasso, and hopefully continue their food truck on the side.
But for now, Candi and Ernesto will keep serving every customer that comes through the door like they always do: with a smile and through deliciously crafted Venezuelan food that makes you feel like a “Pana” in Pana’s.