Finally, a day without rain! I tried to focus on business, but no use. This morning, I took a long walk around the lake. Mid-afternoon, I jumped on the Harley and took a ride.
I stopped in Saugerties to take a stroll, and I immediately noticed a sign for Taco Juan’s. Since Taco Juan’s, a fast food Mexican restaurant, has been doing business in Woodstock… well, forever… I had to stop in to take a look.
I walked in the door and there was Taco John.
“I didn’t know you had a shop in Saugerties,” I said.
“How are you doing, man?” John asked as he shook my hand. “I haven’t seen you in ages.”
Then, John told me his story. After 30 years of doing business with a partner in Woodstock, the partners had a falling out. John discovered that he really didn’t have any ownership rights in his business, and he was odd man out. So, he opened the new shop in Saugerties because… well, he really doesn’t know anything else to do.
I ordered a beef enchilada, and handed John a ten dollar bill.
“I hope I’ve got change for a ten,” John said. “You‘re the first customer I‘ve seen today.”
John is really struggling. He doesn’t have the kind of foot traffic in Saugerties that the Woodstock restaurant has. After decades of hard work, he’s struggling just to survive.
Of course, that’s the story for a lot of people nowadays, isn’t it? Could be me in the future.
The Saugerties Car Show will be held on July 12th. I hope that it produces some business for John. The food, by the way, was great! Better than the Woodstock shop. If you’re in Saugerties, stop by and say hello to the original Taco Juan, and have lunch.



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