This is the thirteenth article in a Vendor Profile Series intended to share the history and diversity of the Market through the stories of our vendors, as we celebrate our 25th Season. This article is written by journalist Barry Courter.
Juan Carlos Parro has worked in the food industry his whole life. As a child growing up in Mexico, he worked with his family in a variety of food-related businesses, and has made food his career ever since.
The family moved to the United States when he was 14, and over the years they lived in a variety of locations including New York, Florida and Georgia before settling in the Chattanooga area. Once here, they opened Taqueria Jalisco, the first food truck in Chattanooga.
For several years, Carlos, now 46, and brother Jorge helped their mother, Maria, run the business, which set up shop at the various events and festivals in the area, including the Chattanooga Market where it has operated since 2007.
“We were the first truck at the market,” Carlos says.
“I think we missed a half a year one year because we were so busy,” Carlos said.
Eventually, Jorge and Maria wanted a stand-alone place and opened one on Rossville Avenue, while Carlos continued to run his own truck.
While his brother and mother now operate Taqueria Jalisco in a new building they built across the street from their former location on Rossville Avenue, Carlos and his wife, Maria, renamed their business to I Love Tacos and have remained a crowd favorite at the market and elsewhere.
Carlos said being consistent has been the key to the business's success. While dozens of other food trucks have come and gone over the years, delivering great food at a place where people can find them every week has proven to be a winning formula.
“People recognize it, you know what I mean?”
I Love Tacos offers a variety of fan favorites including nachos, burritos, salads, soups and of course, tacos.
“We offer basically the same things as we always have, but we throw in maybe one or two new dishes. Like now we have the 'walking taco,'” which is essentially a taco salad inside a bag of chips.
“You can reach in there and eat out of the bag. It's pretty good. You should try it one day.”
I Love Tacos at one time had an ice cream shop and still offers items such as popsicles “for people with that sweet tooth.”
Carlos says that his menu has evolved as people's tastes and sense of adventure have developed over the years. Tamales were a new item for some at one time, and today a popular item is corn on the cob with Mexican seasoning.
“They didn't used to know it. Now they know it,” he says.
“Now everybody in Tic Tok talks about it so everybody wants to try.”
Carlos says he has gotten to know his customers over the years through the market and is proud of the fact that he has so many repeat customers.
“They know it's going to be good and they keep coming back.”
