|
|
|
331 S. Main St., Findlay, Oh
|
About Amy May Owner
|
Amy May is one tough taco! She grew up pretty poor and was raised in the Toledo area by a single father, who had a heart condition. Her mom left when she and siblings were little, so it was just her and her dad and her brother and sister. At 8 years old, Amy was making tacos for the family while standing on a chair in the kitchen. “We put almost everything that we ate into a tortilla, but we were always happy. The fact that we were poor, the fact that my dad was sick — once we got around the table, we prayed, and we ate dinner together — all that (lack) would disappear. I associated food with love and family and togetherness.” Taylor’s father died two months before her 12th birthday. She was soon a homeless teenager and on her own. By 19, she had three children. She had no high school diploma. She was still poor and worked odd jobs to get by. Throughout those early days, she noticed she could “create something out of nothing.” That gave her the dream of someday having a food truck. She saved up what little she could as a single mother over the years for that dream. Then about nine years ago she met her husband, Nick, who encouraged her to take the big step toward living her dream. To her $8,400 savings, she added a $20,000 loan and bought a truck and other supplies and equipment. She was on her way … kind of. Findlay never had a food truck before, so she had a hard time finding somebody willing to let her park on their property. Everyone said no. Finally, someone said yes: Dietsch Bros. on West Main Cross Street. So Amy May’s Rockin’ Taco opened for business, and Taylor sat in her truck, and she waited for customers. Days of waiting became weeks, weeks of waiting became months, and then years. She would pray all the way in to work every morning, pulling her truck along and she would cry all the way home. She prayed that people would notice her truck and try her food. When few did, she cried all the way home. “I was kind of drowning,” Taylor said. “Thankfully, I have a very supportive husband that kept us afloat during that time.” After a few years, more people came, and more people noticed. Then still more people came. It got so that other property owners were happy to have Amy May’s Rockin’ Tacos on site. Other food trucks started showing up in Findlay. But Amy May’s was the gold standard. In 2017, it was named the No. 1 Food Truck in the state by Ohio Magazine. She has overcome much disadvantage and adversity as she starts the next leg of in her journey, a brick and mortar restaurant. Amy May’s Downtown opened downtown Findlay in April of 2020. Amy May’s Downtown is fast becoming a hot spot for food, drink and entertainment! Amy says: “You know what, I have kids that I want to be proud of me. I want them to be proud of their mother,” she said. “I want to show them that no matter what life throws at you, or how hard your struggles might be, as long as you just keep pushing forward, you can do what you want.” |