In 1973, Ninfa Laurenzo, a widow with five children, established Ninfa's, then a taco stand, as a side business due to financial troubles with her original core business, a tortilla factory.Palmer, John and Sandy Gilmour. "Ninfa Laurenzo: Taco Maker Turned Millionaire." NBC Learn. May 23, 1981. Retrieved on February 6, 2012. Laurenzo's factory was losing money, and she needed to update her equipment in order to comply with new regulations. When Laurenzo decided to establish a restaurant, she applied for loans at several banks. The banks turned her down, so a friend in Mexico City loaned her several thousand dollars. Laurenzo divided the factory facility in half. The back of the factory continued to act as a tortilla factory, while the front had ten tables and 40 chairs. Laurenzo used discarded second hand furniture and pots and pans from her kitchen in the restaurant. The Ninfa's restaurant opened in July of that year. The cuisine at Ninfa's differed from the cuisine of Tex Mex restaurants at the time. The restaurant almost closed after a fire struck one week after its initial opening.Hassel, Greg. "Sysco goes to court vs. RioStar/Chapter 7 sought for Ninfa's parent." Houston Chronicle. Friday October 18, 1996. Business 1. Retrieved on February 6, 2012. - Article available from the Houston Public Library website, accessible with a library card. Dai Huynh of the Houston Chronicle said "Word quickly spread about the East End restaurant with good, cheap food and an outgoing Mexican Mama who greeted diners with open arms."
