In 1960, two-year-old John Salazar and his family, including his parents, grandmother, and four older siblings, relocated from Bogota, Colombia, to San Jose, California. There, Mexican cuisine was as common as hamburgers, with burritos even served in school lunches, making it easy to take its quality and availability for granted.

By 1975, after John’s three eldest siblings had moved to Vancouver, he, his parents, and his remaining sister joined them to reunite the family. They quickly noticed Vancouver’s Mexican food scene paled in comparison to San Jose’s. John’s eldest sister, Yolanda, who had learned Mexican recipes while visiting Mexico City, began hosting annual Mexican feasts made from scratch, which became a family tradition. At these gatherings, the family often joked about opening a Mexican restaurant to enjoy their beloved food anytime—without the chore of dishwashing.

John’s father, an entrepreneur with businesses in both San Jose and Vancouver, dreamed of a familyrun venture. Over five years, they toured several restaurants for sale, but none felt right to Johntoo big, too small, or too remote. In the summer of 1980, they visited a Spanish restaurant for sale on Vancouver’s bustling 4th Avenue in Kitsilano, a vibrant area known for its laid-back culture, dining, and live music. The corner location, sunny southwestern exposure, and Spanish décor won John over. The family unanimously agreed to make an offer, and purchase it. On September 18, 1980, Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant was opened.

In 1981, they expanded, adding a new kitchen, new public restrooms, an office, and a warehouse

for imported goods. They also purchased an Apple II computer with 64k of RAM, using Microsoft’s Multi-Plan (a precursor to Excel) for recipe costing, scheduling, and other tasks. John worked at the restaurant for 12 years, the last 10 as General Manager. In 1992, he moved to Kelowna with his wife and children, remotely managing the restaurant for two years before the family sold it at the peak of its success.

In Kelowna, John worked as a graphic designer for a commercial printer, using a Macintosh computer. He later became Network Administrator, overseeing a network rollout, and earned an IT certification. After a stint in sales in Spokane, traveling through Grand Forks, a former IT classmate recruited him in 2006 as a Technical Service Representative for Macintosh support. Three years later, he joined the Tech-Ops department as a Field Technician and Installer, enjoying the active work. In 2016, seeking the small-town charm he remembered, John transferred to Grand Forks to work for the same cable company.

In 2018, a buyout offer gave John a two-year window to revisit his roots. He launched a Mexican food truck, Las Chimichangas, leveraging his restaurant experience, graphic design skills for branding, and IT knowledge for operations. After two years of planning, permits, and testing, the food truck debuted on June 30, 2020. Now, John serves delicious Mexican food in Grand Forks, parked at various spots in warm weather. In August of 2025 the online ordering app (for next-day pick up) was launched. He’s thrilled to share his passion for Mexican food with the community.