GMCC welcomes Downtown Cafe

This article originally appeared in the Friday Nov. 22, 2019 issue of the Progress Times.

Missionites have a new locally-owned spot to dine in the downtown area.

This Tues. Nov. 19, the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Downtown Cafe, a new eatery located at 408 N. Conway Ave. The establishment, run by Maria Alcantara, was created to service the downtown area of Mission.

“That’s why I named it ‘Downtown,’ because I really wanted our little town to get pretty,” Alcantara said. “I was born and raised here, and now I have a five-year-old, so I want a nice town for him.”

Mayor Armando O’caña was happy to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony, stating that building this part of Mission is vital to community growth.

“One of the campaign promises that I made while I was running was to revitalize downtown, and bring downtown to life,” O’caña said. “We wanted to bring it back to individuals who are going to be the center of our traction. If you need a place to eat, let’s support downtown Mission.”

GMCC President and CEO Brenda Enriquez welcomed Downtown Cafe to the chamber community, introducing Maria to several local ambassadors from Flores Funeral Home, Lone Star National Bank, Lucy’s Flowers and Gifts, local hotels like Holiday Inn Express and Best Western and XO Physical Therapy. They all offered their assistance to the establishment whenever it is needed.

The Downtown Cafe prepares their food in the morning to ensure freshness daily, and joins the GMCC family of locally-owned businesses that aim to continue the traditions and growth of the city of Mission. Enriquez said that they are there to ensure all members never feel alone in their endeavors.