President Biden meets with owners of San Antonio’s Box Street All Day

Also invited to the conversation were Jeff Yerxa and Nicolas Cabrera of D.C.-based Lost Sock Roasters and Jennifer Arniella, the Miami business owner of Unique Crafts by Jenn. 

The White House celebrated a business “boom” powered by minorities like the San Antonio owners. 

“Hispanic entrepreneurs started new businesses in 2021 at a faster rate in more than a decade, 23 percent faster than the pre-pandemic levels,” the White House said in a statement. 

Box Street’s full-scale concept was initially set to open in 2020. The team powered through pandemic setbacks and finally debuted in December 2021 at Hemisfair with a triumphant reception. Any given weekend, crowds of brunchers walk through the perfectly pastel spot, anxious to tear into the breakfast platters with friends.

Biden noted Box Street’s success in growing from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar while introducing the groups to the roundtable.

“Eddie and Daniel were able to turn their food truck into a brick-and-mortar company of their own,” the president said with a laugh. “That must feel pretty good, huh? And they’re just some of the folks driving this economic recovery and reminding us that everything — that anything and everything is possible in America.”

An off-camera roundtable chat followed, giving the Box Street owners the chance to discuss their path to opening the brick-and-mortar restaurant and how aid from COVID-19 relief programs helped them bring their vision to fruition. 

García spoke with MySA from Washington D.C. on Friday morning and was still in disbelief. He says the president’s invitation “confirms” his team is headed in the right direction. He and Garcia-Bowman say the president was welcoming and made them feel at home in the White House. García says Biden went off schedule and invited them into the Oval Office, where he shared cookies with the guests. 

“We thought we were just going to do a handshake and say ‘bye,’ but to actually sit down a foot away from him, have a conversation with him and be invited to the Oval Office was unreal,” the owner says. “It was the best trip that we could have ever imagined.”

The Biden administration says that it wants to continue supporting small businesses and make success “easier.” 

García says it “makes sense” that a higher rate of minority-owned small businesses persevered through the challenges of the pandemic. 

“When our backs are against the wall, we’re going to do whatever it takes to survive,” he adds.