Casa de Tamales in Downtown Fresno re-opening its doors after six months

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- After being closed for about six months Casa de Tamales in Downtown Fresno is re-opening its doors. The restaurant closed during the Fulton Street renovation project.

Decorations are being hung and tables being cleaned at Casa de Tamales as they get ready to open their doors after being closed for months.

"We are ecstatic. I'm ecstatic to reopen down here at Fulton Mall," said Liz Sanchez.

Liz Sanchez, the owner, says they closed because of the Fulton Street renovations but the project is actually one of the reasons she chose to open up a location here.

"I was ready for that. I understood what the project impact was going to be. It was just a little overdue. I think that's what it really came down to. I planned and projected for about a year, which is what the project was initially supposed to be and it's been an extra six months," said Sanchez.

With it taking longer than anticipated she made the decision to temporarily close the doors but she made sure people did not forget them.

"We weren't gone from downtown. Every Wednesday we were at Kern Farmers Market and every Thursday we are also at Art Hop. So we were still down here. Our presence was still here," said Sanchez

She also kept her original location open and with the help of loyal customers and the community she was able to stay afloat. Sanchez even sold gift cards worth anywhere from $50 to $100 that would be worth more the longer you hold onto it.

"The community responded with purchasing about 122 of those gift cards over the course of 10 days," said Sanchez.

She did not disclose a dollar amount but said it was enough to help her keep her Fulton Street location.