< briefly considering closing or selling the store, the owners of Northfield’s El Triunfo Mexican eatery and grocery story have decided to remain open due to a resurgence in business, particularly from college students and construction workers in Northfield.
“El Triunfo is definitely a great place and it’s one of the few places we can get authentic Mexican food here. I really hope that this local business that has been around for a while stays open,” said Aditya Nagendran ‘16.
El Triunfo has amassed a cult following among students at Carleton, and many cite the low prices, taste, and authenticity as reasons for the establishment’s appeal.
The restaurant is also one of the closest restaurants to Carleton’s campus, making it an even more popular alternative to dining hall or Sayles food.
The owners commented that they had thought it over, and had settled any potential ideas of closing or leaving the Northfield area.
Still, rumors generated from the scare caused many students on campus to reaffirm their appreciation for El Triunfo.
Dylan Cheever ‘13 worried about potential consequences if store owners decided to shut down the establishment.
“It eliminates options for students, as students are already confined to going to the dining halls and Sayles, and so when these restaurants, especially ones as cheap as El Triunfo go out of business, it makes it harder on a college student who can’t afford to go places like Chapati every day.”
Recently, another popular restaurant in Northfield, Kurry Kabab, closed, and some students were dismayed to hear that El Triunfo might follow suit.
“I think it is unfortunate that we have this trend of restaurants closing in Northfield,” said Nagendran.
Some students expressed disbelief about the rumors and reported that they had heard El Triunfo might close numerous times before.
They believe that it is poor form for the restaurant to make news known prematurely.
Despite this, student opinion of the eatery generally remains high. Joe Willenborg ‘15 said that if El Triunfo closed, it would, “take away the best Mexican food in town.”