09/05/2023
A lot of people have been asking about the name change, so the owner asked me to post the lovely story of why it changed and how we became 'Chula Maria'.
Same "Loco" Owner, Different Name
"In 1996 when I started the restaurant, I named it Taco Loco Mexican Restaurant. I did so because my mother always called me 'loco', crazy.
So I took Loco and put it together with the number one selling Mexican Food; tacos, and came up with Taco Loco.
When I pursued trademarking the name, I found out another restaurant in California had trademarked the name two years before I started in business. That was devastating to me.
My attorney advised that I either change the name or wait and see if they would sell the trademark or go out of business.
I decided to wait. Well, neither happened. But I continued to wat.
Twenty years later I decided to market our award winning margarita.
Mu attorney advised that I not use the Taco Loco name because we do not own the mark. He said that if the other company found out I used their mark, they would sue and own my product. So it was then that I decided to change the name.
While thinking about a name, I realized that more women come to Taco Loco than men. I decided the new name should be that of a woman in order to recognize their contribution to our success. When thinking about a female name, I realized the most common name for a woman is Mary, or Maria in Spanish. And that is my mother's name. I decided to name the restaurant Maria to recognize women and honor my mother. Now I had to come up with another word to make it flow smoothly, be catchy and be a worthy name for a .com.
I searched the internet for cities in Texas and California hoping to find a good word to put with Maria to complete the name. In California I came across a city called Chula Vista, meaning Beautiful View.
Hmm. I thought, 'Chula Maria'. Wow I like that! I immediately thought, "I like my Chula." So that is the name and slogan I selected. Chula Maria Mexican Grill and Bar. Slogan; "I like my Chula"
I immediately bought the .com on Godaddy; Chulamaria.com.
The name is now trademarked and on our sign.
I might add that Maria means beloved; one who is truly loved. When you add Chula to it, you get "a beautiful women who is truly loved'. All women are "Chula Maria".
Noé Ramiro Baiz
President
Que Milagro Inc. "
Hopefully his heart-warming story answers any questions our customers have had about the new sign, menus, shirts, etc. showcasing our new name and logo.
- Caitlin
Hospitality Manager
Taco Loco Mexican Restaurant in Shelby Township, MI. Call us at (586) 323-9494. Check out our location and hours, and latest menu with photos and reviews.
