White House residents have an empty tank of gas to thank for bringing a beloved restaurant to town. Back in the early nineties, Clementina De La Paz was driving home to Hendersonville after a concert in Chicago. “It was late and I had no gas,” she recalls, “Mapco was the only place open 24 hours so I stopped.” Not wanting to get back on I-65, Clementina asked if anyone knew a different way to get to Hendersonville. That route took her through town and etched a memory.

Clementina’s father, Jose De La Paz, had moved his family to the US from San Jose De La Paz, Jalisco in 1990 and attempted running a Mexican restaurant in six other towns across the Volunteer state. Not speaking English as his first language made the start-ups difficult to run and easy to be mistreated. That’s when Clementina pledged to step in and help. “Daddy wanted to open one in Kentucky, but I love Tennessee, so I said please don’t. Just open something close.” And when the Mapco fill-up occurred, Clementina had the perfect town in mind.

Thirty years ago, White House had one stoplight, a Mapco, and a burger joint. It was a small town, for sure. “I like small towns,” Clementina smiles as she talks, “They feel like family. So, I said to Daddy, ‘How about White House?’” Jose and his wife, Maria, along with Clementina checked out the town, scouting out their current establishment.

Sue Wilkinson agreed to rent her building to the De La Paz family (who would later come to purchase the property). Seven months later they would move the entire family from Hendersonville to White House.

The De La Paz family (including Clementina’s sisters, Ale and Samantha) was planting deep roots in White House, roots that have created a fiercely loyal clientele for the original Mexican restaurant. Clementina recalls a time early on when she took a bid to fix the parking lot. When the time came to pay the bill, the contractor was asking for more money. Customers overheard and stepped in to help make sure the man stayed true to his word.

“White House always has our back,” says Valeria, Clementina’s daughter. Clementina adds, “First, thank God for these thirty years and then thank White House for all their support.”

That’s the power of meals shared, of dipping into salsa and devouring sopapillas together. It creates family out of community. “We have grown up together—De La Paz and White House,” says Clementina.

May we continue.

This article is part of a collaboration with White House Chamber of Commerce. Sarah had the honor of sharing the De La Paz story in the Chamber's recent magazine publication. Stay Positive News appreciates every opportunity to publish positive stories and thanks the White House Chamber for this opportunity.