In the heart of Puebla, at 145 5 Poniente, a food stand has stood the test of time, becoming a symbol of local gastronomy. This place is known as “Doña Esther’s memelas”, a business that, beyond offering traditional dishes, tells the story of its founder, Esther Rangel Luna. With more than 50 years of experience in the sector, Esther has not only fed generations of people from Puebla, but has also woven an innumerable amount of anecdotes and memories that reflect the daily life of the city.
Esther’s roots
Doña Esther’s story begins in Tochimilco, a municipality of Puebla near the foothills of the Popocatépetl volcano, where she grew up in a family environment dedicated to commerce. Her mother, owner of a stand in the old La Victoria Market in the state capital, taught her from an early age the secrets of selling and preparing food. This initial training would be the foundation on which Esther would build her future.
When she moved to the city of Puebla, she was presented with the opportunity to acquire a stand called “Clarita”, at 5 Poniente number 111, where she began to sell cakes. In this new environment, Esther realized that her calling was beyond simply selling; it was a way to connect with people, offer them a piece of home and share her culture through food.
“I remember that they handed it over to me (…) the lady told me that she was going to explain to me how tortas were made so that I could learn, she taught me and that’s how I started, little by little we started getting customers,” says Esther, who is currently 78 years old.
Moving and changing menu
After eight years at the torta stand, Esther faced a new challenge: the owner of the establishment asked her to vacate the space. Undaunted, she began the search for a new site, which led her to her current location at 145 5 Poniente. Although her initial intention was to sell steamed tacos, customer demand led her to diversify her menu, incorporating traditional dishes such as pozole, memelas and tacos de cabeza.
“This was a tailor shop, the gentleman transferred it to me, many people wanted the place, but when he saw me with my 2-year-old child he left it to me and we have been working here for several years now,” reveals the founder.
This change was not only a response to the preferences of her clients, but also marked the beginning of a new stage in her business. Over time, Esther registered her stand as “Pozolería Atlixco”, reflecting the popularity of pozole among her clients. However, memelas began to gain prominence, and today the establishment is widely known for them.
Growth and success
Doña Esther’s success resulted in the opening of a second location and a general store, which reflected her growing popularity and the trust of the people of Puebla in her cooking. Her stand became a meeting point not only for neighbors, but also for political figures and influential people of Puebla, given its proximity to the state Congress.
“I was successful, yes, I was. Perhaps sales have dropped, but that is normal. Many people came here, especially after the La Victoria market closed, because when it closed, people ran to the surrounding areas to look for more business and I was there. I even sold 50 kilos of dough and had 8 workers,” she says proudly.
Anecdotes
Stories like the sale of 4,000 cakes for an electoral campaign became part of the anecdotes surrounding her business. As well as bad treatment by some of her clients and even how a person from a Congressional team did not want to pay her. This last one is one that Esther remembers a lot:
“One of them came, from a campaign team, and told me ‘Esther, when the campaign is over I’m going to owe you, I’m not going to pay you later’, but a judicial (police) officer heard me and told me not to owe me anything, because in the campaign everything was paid for, that he was going to show me who his boss was so I could tell him (…) I went with him and his boss told me that they were not going to owe me anything, but it seems that they scolded the boy and he came back with me and said ‘damn old lady, I told you how I was going to pay you’, he left angry and a week later he had an accident in which those in the car died.”
“Many things have happened to me in this business. Some of the people I have tried to help have been rude, they have thrown food at me, one suffers a lot with clients, with suppliers, with everything,” she adds.
Esther’s relationship with her clients is a fundamental aspect of her success. Over the years, she has cultivated a family atmosphere, where every visitor is treated with warmth. This has not only built customer loyalty, but has also made her stand an iconic place in the city.
“I know a lot of people through the business, they always greet me when I go out on the street, I’ve been here for so long…” she says.
The pandemic and challenges
Despite her achievements, Doña Esther’s life has not been without challenges. One of the most difficult moments of her career was the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many businesses to temporarily close. For Esther, this situation not only meant a financial loss, but also an emotional blow, since her position is more than a job: it is her passion and her legacy.
“When we closed the business because of the pandemic, I didn’t eat, since everything was going away with crying, I spent almost a month like that, it was ugly. When I reopened I only sold 65 pesos, then little by little we got better,” she remembers.
In addition, she faces the uncertainty that the State Congress will move, which could affect the flow of customers. However, despite the adversities, Esther remains optimistic. Her resilient spirit and her love for cooking drive her to continue forward, with the firm intention of preserving her legacy.
Thank you for your preference: Esther
At 78 years old, Esther is the mother of three children, to whom she has taught the value of hard work and the importance of family tradition. Although her children have taken different paths, she hopes that at some point they can return and continue her legacy. She works every day of the week, from 08:00 to 17:00 hours.
“I come every day, even if I am sick, I have never missed my business (…) I want to thank you all for your preference and for putting up with me for so many years,” she concludes.
Source: elsoldepuebla
