Our Story

La Esquina - “Our Story” by Marimar Higgins

Although we passed the corner that is now La Esquina every day on our way home from the beach, the small “se vende” sign rarely caught our eye. When Oscar decided he needed somewhere to display and sell his quickly growing plant collection, we realized what a prime location this dusty, little piece of earth was. First Oscar got a continuous water supply to the old Washingtonians on the property that were suffering from lack of water. Then he set to work landscaping the property to display the plants available in his nursery.

Paula and I were just two pregnant ladies with an idea, a creative project that we could do while raising our future babies. We decided that we could provide some of the things we craved and had a hard time finding like good coffees and teas, a variety of juices, deli sandwiches, and baked goods.

From there La Esquina began to take shape. Oscar and his crew began building the little sister to the colonial “Casa Dracula” across the street and Paula and I set to work brainstorming. Once we had the kitchen in place and our wonderful employees were hired, the fun began. We practiced making cappuccinos with just the right amount of foam, we cooked a variety of salsas until they were just spicy enough, and we tested many margarita recipes until we found just the right combination of fresh lemon juice, agave nectar and tequila. Every day we would make adjustments based on customers feedback and trial and error. Each time we accomplished something another idea formed.

We soon realized that La Esquina was more than just a restaurant, it had become a meeting place for our community. The surfers wanted surf videos, the business people needed a casual place to meet with their clients, and local causes needed a place to hold fundraisers. Even the upstairs apartment became an integral part of La Esquina when our talented friend, Sara, opened her hair and nail salon. We are constantly humbled by the new directions La Esquina takes. The evolution has been an amazing process. As far as a destination?.... at this point, we don’t know where we are going, we’re just enjoying the process.