SAN LUIS, AZ (AZFamily) -- While the rise of big-box stores has impacted many industries, smaller-run restaurants in places like Yuma are proving to be resilient.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that the restaurant industry has experienced the most significant job growth since the late 1970s, contributing 3.6 million jobs and surpassing all other sectors.
"When you gather in a community, good things can happen and I hope Eddie's is a good example of that," said David Loo, Eddie's Food and Drink owner.
David Loo and his brother Andrew recently opened Eddie's Food and Drink an outdoor space crafted from repurposed storage containers, featuring six eateries from local restaurants.
It's allowed small restaurant owners like Courtney Sellers to expand their business.
Sellers is the owner of Mostly Muffins Cafe, a restaurant that's been in Yuma for over 12 years.
She had been looking for a second business opportunity and jumped on the venture with the Loo brothers. She now runs three of the eateries at Eddie's Food and Drink.
"When I was looking for locations of where to expand, and looking at rent prices, this is very affordable. It's also basically you're operating out of a food truck that never leaves," said Sellers.
Arizona saw 68,000 jobs created from the food and services business in 2022, that's an 80% increase from the previous year and it's thanks to small business owners who are creating opportunities.
Although the Loo brothers no longer live in San Luis, they were raised in the small border town by their parents, who worked on the potato farms and lemon orchards that once occupied the very land where Eddie's now stands.
"At one point all that acreage over there was covered in orange and lemons," said Loo.
Loo said the land was owned by different families that were in a partnership. Over the years portions were sold but his father stayed with a small patch of land.
"My dad has now passed but he always imagined a place with food trucks and a common area that was roofed," he said.
Fulfilling a family dream, they came back to San Luis to give back to the community, helping create opportunities for business owners and also generating jobs. He estimates 40 to 50 will be employed between all the eateries.
The eateries are all owned by restaurant owners from Yuma and Somerton.
It includes Border Grinds Coffee, Pueblo Pizza, Sushi House, Tacos el Manny, Mariscos la Poma, Fan Find Foods, and Agave Bar.
The venue also has spaces for food trucks. Michoacana Plus can be found in one of the spaces.
"We have local restaurants, we can hire local employees and we can support local artists. We're trying to bring other programs and find other vendors that might benefit from this," he said.