Grant County’s business district became brighter and tastier over the summer with the opening of Nora’s Sweetz and Bene’s Spudz. With a dream and determination in tow, Nora and Bene Garcia purchased the building previously housed by KULY and jazzed it up to become the best of both worlds.
With the help of United Country Realtor Amy Orosco, the Garcia’s found the perfect layout.
"It was always about location,” said Nora. “I didn't want to be around heavy traffic. I wanted it to be safe for kids all of the time so they can easily walk in and park their bikes.”
A partition spits the building into two separate entities, making the location a perfect match for Nora and Bene’s vision.
“It was a sign for each of us to do our own thing,” said Bene. “To make it work for us, it wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t as hard as we thought it was going to be.”
Aside from basic repairs and renovations, the sole, necessary upgrade was the addition of a kitchen to the potato bar side.
Nora's fruitful ambition began when her aunt, Olga Pauda, opened Ulysses’ beloved Katie's Goody Shop.
“I used to work with her when she sold candy and I thought, "I want to get my own candy store,” Nora explained.
Throughout the years, Pauda continued to encourage Nora to go for her dreams.
“She was the one who made me feel like I could really do this,” Nora said.
When asked about the initial reactions to the candy shop, Bene said it was all in their reactions.
“The facial expressions when they walk in – even from the parents and grandparents – are just like “wow.”
“It’s amazing how many different people are excited about it because they can’t find some of these candies,” Nora added.
Chocolates are one of the most anticipated guilty pleasures on the way to the candy shop pending cooler weather.
Inspired by The Potato Factory restaurant in Amarillo, Texas, Bene returned from a family visit in 2022, pondering the idea of a potato bar as an asset to his community.
“We just wanted to bring in something different,” said Bene.
For starters, Nora and Bene used their family members as guinea pigs for each spud-tacular experiment. Concluding the trial runs, Bene’s Spudz menu officially contained six options: Mister Mister, Tater Take a Walk, Nacho Chicken Spud, Pizza Spud, and the Chef’s Salad.
Currently, the Mister Mister is the most popular order at Bene’s Spudz. Topped with ranch style chili, Fritos corn chips, lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheese, the hot and fresh “later tater” has newcomers returning as regulars.
Nora and Bene credited their hardworking staff, sister Lillie Ramos and nephew Enrique Garcia, for making the transition into business a delightful experience.
“I just want to make sure they are always okay, so they never leave me because they’re so awesome!”, Nora said.
Nora described Lillie as the perfect combination of her grandmother, mother, and aunt.
“She is amazing in that kitchen,” she said.
As for Enrique, Nora referred to him as the brains of the operation, helping the business owners navigate new software and technology. Bene described Enrique as “full of ideas and energy”.
Looking into the future, the Garcia’s are making plans for the months ahead.
“When the weather gets colder, we expect it to get busier, so we want to get to a point where we have a full menu with different types of meat like pulled pork and carne asada,” explained Bene.
Eventually, the Garcia’s would like to expand to evening hours and recipes oriented for the wintertime.
For now, Nora and Bene are adjusting well to the life of customer service.
“If you’re satisfied with what you’re buying, we feel good about that,” said Bene.
Since opening their doors during the Grant County Fair Parade, the newest addition to Main Street has kept a steady influx of inquiring minds.
“We’ve had a lot of customers and we thank God for them,” said Nora.
To fill a bag of treats, stop by Nora’s Sweetz from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
For a salty spud, swing by Bene’s Spudz from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Both stores are located at 112 South Main Street. Call-in orders can be made to 620-356-4585.
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