Today we’d like to introduce you to Matias Dominguez.
Hi Matias, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Back in mid-2018, I was laid off from my corporate job. The job market was tough at the time, so my wife and I decided to go ahead and begin building our own business while I looked for another job.
We specialize in sweet crepes and bubble waffles, my two favorite desserts. We found that in Houston, there is a few brick and mortar creperies and a handful of food trucks that offer crepes. We identified an opportunity to combine two desserts in one spot at an affordable price. We started our journey in Cypress, TX in early 2019. We found a lot of success in that community, and we were able to create a following and cater for many families.
Fast forward to March 2020. We closed down as the coronavirus pandemic got worse. We re-open on October 2020 at Tres Carnales Food court located at 32127 TX-249, Pinehurts, TX, 77362. We have been working hard to rebuild our following in the Tomball community and have gained a little over 500 new customers since we open at this location.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This has definitely been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. In the food truck industry, it is not easy, and if you don’t know what you are doing, you could potentially lose a lot of money or build a bad reputation. The first thing that comes to mind is dealing with the ongoing pandemic. We were booked for the majority of 2020 for different catering events, and we had to cancel all of them and lost thousands of dollars. We use catering funds to keep our operating cost lower, so losing that business put a strain on our financial planning and we had to find funds by other means.
Finding a home for our food truck was also a challenge. Tres Carnales Food court was the best decision we made, even though we had to start over at a different community. The management of this food court has made our life a lot easier and welcomed us with open arms.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a food truck that specializes in bubble waffles and sweet crepes. I believe we are the only mobile business that offers this combination, and this sets us apart from any other dessert food truck. We have recently also added funnel cakes to our menu. We are proud to offer a place that a family can come and enjoy at an affordable price. We use fresh ingredients daily and make all of the batters by hand.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t really believe in luck. Hard work has gotten us where we are today. With the support of our family and our faith in God, we have been able to build our business little by little. At the end of the day, this is not a race because I am not competing with anyone, meaning I only care about my business and don’t really dwell on other people’s success.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/thecrepenwaffle_shack
- Facebook: Facebook.com/thecrepenwaffleshack
