As Lucharitos Opens At Station Yards, Owner 'Wouldn't Change A Thing'

LONG ISLAND, NY — As the popular Lucharitos readies to open at the mixed-use development, Station Yards, at the Long Island Rail Road in Ronkonkoma, owner Marc LaMaina reflected on his expansion — and the journey that led from a small space in Greenport to a name known Long Island-wide.

The North Fork-based Tex-Mex chain will lease 1,500 square feet of space at the mixed-use development.

Lucharitos began as a 750 square foot space in Greenport, after Superstorm Sandy's floodwaters ravaged LaMaina's former cupcake business, Butta Cakes.

Rather than let the damage daunt, LaMaina pivoted, and the Lucharitos taqueria and tequila bar was born.

Since then, LaMaina has grown, opening locations in Mattituck, Center Moriches, and Melville. Little Lucharitos also opened in Aquebogue, which has now expanded to Good Juju's, offering BBQ and seafood fare on the menu.

LaMaina's LuchaCubano pivoted to Burgercade, which closed in 2023 — but he has plans to expand that menu to the Mattituck location.

Lucharitos' latest location looks to satisfy a broader audience, catering to customers in the middle of the island, TRITEC said.

LaMaina said he and his team "couldn't be more excited" about the new location.

"When the opportunity to team up with TRITEC on their Station Yards project came about, we jumped on it," he said. "The professionalism and commitment they have shown us before we even break ground has been amazing. As an emerging regional brand with hopes of eventually becoming national, we intend to use the Ronkonkoma location here at Station Yards as another stepping stone to making that dream a reality."

Construction is expected to be complete in late spring or early summer.

Speaking to Patch about the new location, LaMaina said: "We think the Core is going to be a destination for not only for LIRR commuters but for the local community to come for a night out or a work lunch or weekend dinners. The array of other restaurants, bars, shops and Great South Bay Brewery being there, sealed the deal for us wanting to be here."

Since the location is under 2,000 square feet, the space is considered a “Little Lucharitos” in respect to LaMaina's three business models, he said. Those three include a full, sit-down restaurant of 2,000 square feet or more with more than 60 seats; 1500 square feet or less; and the "build-your-own model" in Mattituck. The Ronkonkoma location will have "awesome outdoor patio seating and some very cool features unique to this space," he said.

Diners, LaMaina said, "can expect what we feel we are good at. Fresh, chef-driven Tex Mex with a super refreshing 16 oz. margarita. As we grow, we are learning what works best and for the most part, it’s keeping the menu simple and good so we can focus energy on guest experience. That’s the most important aspect of this —creating a memorable experience for all the right reasons."

LaMaina said ironically, it wasn't his plan to be located in Mineola, literally 100 steps from the train station at the Morgan Parc building.

"And we definitely never expected for the Ronkonkoma train station to be where it is right now and for us to be a part of its very bright future. Yet here we are," he said. "These two locations will open this year, and it’s my hope they set the tone for what’s coming down the pipeline with this little taco shop we opened a little over 10 years ago."

Looking back at the tapestry of his life over the past decade, LaMaina said it's difficult to pinpoint a single proudest moment. "We have so much going on. We do a lot of cool stuff, and we don’t really take time to celebrate much — we just like what we do. I’m not sure what my job description is anymore. It changes so much daily. But my team and family make me proud. Seeing former employees open their own businesses or follow their dreams, using Lucha as a launch pad — that makes me proud. Growth."

LLaMaina said it's hard for him to give advice to any new business owners. "We are still figuring it out. I don’t have a road map," he said. "This is all new to me. But I do know that you have highs and lows that come and go with no rhyme or reason. So I’d say be prepared for the highs and lows. Embrace them both. Learn from them both. Stay in the high as long as you can, ride that wave — and get out of the low as soon as you can. It’s a fight every time. But getting out of the low is when you will build the character you need to have to be an entrepreneur for the rest of your life. If you can master the lows and know they are temporary and trying to teach you something, you will eventually win. If you never quit, you will eventually win. I believe that."

For the most part, he added, people who are entrepreneurs are networkers in some form — and that takes a lot of high frequency energy.

"There is no high without an equal low. Again, it’s important to understand the balance there," LaMaina said.

Discussing his new project, LaMaina said: "What’s crazy is the opportunity came to get into Station Yards at Ronkonkoma LIRR as we were coming down the stretch of our giant Mineola project — and we just couldn’t pass on it. The potential there is limitless. And it’s fun, as we can now take the train from Greenport to Ronkonkoma to Mineola and, literally, step out and be at a Lucharitos. Pretty cool."

New plans are in place for Riverhead, too, he said. "I’d love to get our Downtown Riverhead Lucha open before summer 2025 and then focus on warmer weather locations."

Family is everything to LaMaina; he and his wife Jen have three sons.

"The best advice I ever got was from my wife. Not really advice, just a reaffirmation that we weren’t put here to stay. That we are here for a short visit. We are here to live and leave here a little better than we found it. It helps me put everything in perspective and really have no fear of losing. At the end of the day, I was just as happy with one restaurant running food to tables," he said. "I’ve just always wanted to see how far we could take this brand. And we have people that are all in with me on the journey. So we’re going to take this thing to places we never thought it would go."

He added: "When I stop and think how far we came and what lies ahead, I do get emotional. So many scary moments and small triumphs. I wouldn’t change a thing."

No matter how meteoric his rise to success, LaMaina is a North Fork success story, a hometown man whose roots are forever entwined in the community that nurtured his vision. And his values and heart are firmly centered on the family that comprises his world.

"I’m very lucky to have my wife in my corner. She is also an entrepreneur, and we seem to have our highs and lows at opposite times, so we have this rhythm of lifting each other up when the other is down," he said. "I can’t stress how important she is in keeping me whole and things moving forward. She is our anchor. Find your anchor — person, place or thing. You will need it on your entrepreneurial journey."