Serrano Centennial Fiesta

The Serrano family will celebrate 100 years as a family owned business in Chandler with a Centennial Fiesta at the Serrano’s Mexican Restaurant location in downtown Chandler from 5pm to 9pm on Thursday, September 19, 2019.

The Chandler-based family business launched in September 1919 as The Serrano Brothers Popular Store, making it the oldest continuously owned family business in the city. With fewer than 1,000 residents in Chandler at the time, The Popular Store sold clothing and other goods to local farmers. It eventually evolved into Serrano’s Department Stores and the family opened several other locations throughout the East Valley and Phoenix.

By the 1970s, the growing popularity of large department stores and indoor shopping malls took its toll on the family’s independent department stores. Ernie and Eva Serrano decided it was time to transition away from the clothing business. They took a leap of faith and opened a Mexican food restaurant in 1979 (La Casa Serrano – now Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants) in downtown Chandler, and the family has focused on that venture for the past 40 years (Serrano’s Department Store in downtown Chandler closed in 1981). Today, Ernie and Eva’s eight adult children own and operate the restaurants.

At the Centennial Fiesta on Sept. 19, attendees will be treated to $1.00 taco (shredded beef or chicken), rice and bean entrees. At 7pm, a taco-eating contest featuring local mayors and representatives from police and fire departments will take place with a prize of $1,000 to be donated to the 100 Club of Arizona benefitting families of fallen police officers and firefighters. There will also be family fun, including face painting, raffle prizes and kids’ activities.

Additionally, Serrano’s will be collecting new children’s books and bears (stuffed animals) for the annual W. Steven Martin Police and Fire Toy Drive. Anyone who brings in a new book or bear donation ($10 value) during the month of September will receive a voucher for a free fried ice cream.

Also throughout the month of September, the Serrano Centennial Sampler will be on special for $10 and $1.00 from every sale will go to The 100 Club. The Serrano Centennial Sampler highlights some of the most popular classics, including scoops of machaca, shredded chicken, green chile beef and red chile beef, served alongside warm tortillas, rice and beans.

In honor of the 100th anniversary, Serrano’s will also feature several $1.00 specials at all five locations beginning Sept. 16, 2019:
· Monday, 9/16: $1.00 Margarita Monday 10 oz. house margarita
· Tuesday, 9/17: $1.00 Taco Tuesday (street taco, or shredded beef or chicken hard-shelled taco)
· Wednesday, 9/18: $1.00 Hump Day Heavenly Bites
· Thursday, 9/19: $1.00 Throwback Thursday (shredded beef or chicken taco, rice and beans entree)*
· Friday, 9/20: $1.00 Fried Ice Cream Friday
· Saturday, 9/21: $1.00 Cerveza Saturday 10 oz. draft Mexican beer
*limit of one special per person; all specials are dine-in only

For more information about Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants, visit SerranosAZ.com.