New Mexican restaurant gains its footing

Felipe Saavedra perhaps couldn’t have picked a worse time to start operating a restaurant in Saukville, but so far so good.

Saavedra opened his Mexican Firehouse restaurant, 100 S. Main St., to inside dining on Wednesday, May 27, and said he’s been busy from day one.

“Every day,” he said. “People love the Mexican food. There have been lots of  congratulations.

“People have been very welcoming and are happy to have us here.”

Saavedra began offering takeout food in the midst of Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer at Home order but once the order was struck down by the state Supreme Court, he waited to offer inside dining until remodeling was done.

Earlier this year, Saavedra, who lives in Milwaukee, opened Casa Imelda in Cedar Grove, which also has proved popular.

Saavedra took over the Saukville building in late March and had hoped to open May 1 until the Safer at Home order squelched that plan.

The Firehouse is so named because it once was the village’s fire station until the current fire station was built on the village’s west side.

Saavedra said he saw a good business opportunity in Saukville.

“There aren’t many authentic Mexican restaurants here,” Saavedra, who moved to the United States from Mexico 28 years ago, said.

Saavedra’s menu also includes traditional American fare, including a Friday night fish fry and breakfast menu.

Saavedra said he and his staff are following public health guidelines, including wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

“We are following all the instructions of the government, wearing masks and using hand sanitizer,” he said.

Saavedra plans to employ 16 full and part-time workers, according to documents filed with the village. At the moment, he said he doesn’t consider himself to be understaffed, but said he is always interviewing.

“We have openings,” he said.