WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Nearly a year after a severe spring storm caused the roof and signature exterior sign to collapse at the Taco Bueno on Valley Mills Drive, the Tex-Mex chain is rebuilding and plans to reopen the Waco location.
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For Allan Lay, the Tex-Mex joint is more than just a quick bite; it's a taste of home.
"It came to the Tulsa area where I grew up in '72 and so my childhood was always, we have birthday pictures and everything, it was always Taco Bueno, at least once a week we would go there," Lay said.
Lay said his family even factored the restaurant into their home search when they moved to Waco.
"I only live about 1 mile away because when we were looking for a house, where's my closest bueno?" Lay said.
The restaurant was badly damaged during a spring storm last year.
In late April, the roof collapsed after severe weather moved through the area. The following day, damage caused the restaurant's signature exterior logo to fall into the building — right where customers normally sit and eat. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Lay said the day the roof collapsed, friends and family immediately reached out to check on him.
"I started getting all these text messages from friends and family going, was Alan in there? Because they know that's where I live. If I'm not at home or at work, I'm at Taco Bueno," Lay said.
The damage forced the restaurant to shut down immediately, and it has sat empty ever since.
Recently, neighbors began noticing fences going up and crews getting to work at the site.
According to the City of Waco, a permit was issued in December for the reconstruction of the restaurant's dining room. That permit is set to expire in June, though it could be extended.
A representative with Taco Bueno confirmed the location is being rebuilt but did not provide a timeline for when it could reopen.
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