DOLORES “LOLITA” GUERRERO – A TRUE TRAILBLAZER
It was a business opportunity and because of her persistence, she opened the doors for others to succeed.
“Never take no for an answer” was a message engraved not only in her mind, but in her heart. A message Dolores “Lolita” Guerrero grew up hearing her father say many times. By 1994, “Lolita”, as everybody calls her, knew that she had what it took to run a successful restaurant and running a Taco Bell at Houston’s Intercontinental Airport was going to be no different. She had owned several well-known local restaurants and had the skills and experience to make it; and, was not going to let an ‘exclusive contract’ stand in the way.
A couple of years earlier, she had won a contract to operate a Lolita’s Mexican Restaurant at the Airport’s Terminal C and the Mickey Leland International terminal. Even though it was successful at first, soon competition from nationally well-known franchises was hurting her business. “They had the national name recognition advantage,” she says, “and the discounts available to volume buyers. The only way to compete –and still comply with the City’s original intention to sell Mexican food- was to open a Taco Bell”. The prime contractor, however, had an exclusive contract with Taco Bell’s parent company and would not allow it. And, company officials would not meet with her.
After a overcoming a few hurdles along the way, Lolita was able to successfully negotiate and break the exclusive contract they had. She then obtained an exclusive franchise contract of Taco Bell restaurants in the Airport. This was a significant landmark. It opened the doors for other entrepreneurs throughout the country to obtain Taco Bell Franchises in other airports.
“Contributing to the successful negotiations”, she says, “were the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC), U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC), and League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)”.
Even so, as busy, demanding and overwhelming a restaurant business can be, Lolita always found time to give of her time to those organizations that are very precious to her. She broke new ground when elected the first woman State Director of LULAC; later on becoming the first woman to chair the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
During her term, she was a member of the Houston 1990 Economic Host Committee, Texas Commission Status of Women, Board Member of the National Board of Census 2000, and Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Among other numerous civic and arts-related institutions, Lolita was also an active member of Houston Grand Opera and Theater Under the Stars. Yet, enthusiastically and with great determination, still made time to establish organizations that addressed issues of concern, such as the Black and Brown Coalition and the Women’s Resource of Greater Houston.
During her years as restaurateur and service to the community, Lolita has received numerous accolades, such as the Houston Post’s Top Ten Women on the Move, Houston Business Magazine’s Top Ten Women to Watch, and (named) TAMACC’s State Hispanic Woman of the Year.
These days, after a short hiatus from the restaurant business, you can find Lolita at Sombrero’s Coffee Shop, the new neighborhood café she and Yolanda Black Navarro opened recently at 2910 Navigation, in Houston’s East End. It has fast become as the place where many drop by for a cup of coffee and catch up with old friends. “I just love it”, confesses a well-known customer. “Not only is it inviting, there is always someone I know whenever I drop by. It has become my home away from home”.
Reminiscing on her thirty-plus years as a business owner, Lolita credits the Houston Hispanic Chamber as the organization that helped her grow and expand her business thru training, mentorship and networking opportunities that helped her break the stereotypes prevalent of that time, while still putting into action her father’s words: “Never take no for an answer”.
