Today we talk to an amazing young lady who believes in keeping family tradition alive when it comes to family business. Her mother was an amazing lady who contributed to our community in so many ways.
For more than 40 years, family-owned Navarro’s Mexican Takeout has been serving up authentic dishes to the community.
When Marisela Sierra’s mother, Francisca, died in September 2020, she was given two options: close the longtime Muskegon Heights restaurant or keep her mother’s legacy alive. Marisela Sierra decided that it was time to keep all the hard work and sacrifices that her mother made to make a life for her growing up as a child. She talks about how her mother took the time to get to know her customers name and to know them personally enough to know their order as they walk in.
Marisela’s husband and children support her with their whole hearts and labor. Marisela says, that her husband is there working supporting her first hand in the family business as well as her daughters helping behind the scenes.
Navarro’s Mexican Takeout, located at 2537 8th St., has been a part of Sierra’s life literally since she was born. Her first home was in a studio apartment above the restaurant, and when her and her siblings returned from school each day as kids, they went to the restaurant, not upstairs.
As the community continued to frequent Navarro’s, Sierra and her family grew up with Muskegon Heights. Re-entering the business as the owner, Sierra said she loves bumping into customers who knew her when she was growing up.
We talked about how when she took over she had to rebrand while learning how to manage a restaurant at the same time. Even though updating the brand is her goal, her main focus is to keep the community feeling the warmth and love from Navarro’s.
Marisela is not only a business owner she also helps out and gives back to the community. We appreciate the love you give to the community through your heart and your food.
