
Some places evoke wonderful memories of joyful years gone by. Victor’s Drive-In in Peñasco, New Mexico, is just that kind of place. Victor Martinez, a U.S. Army veteran, and his wife, Barbara, opened the restaurant in 1971.
After over 50 years in business, the restaurant’s equipment started showing signs of aging and needed replacing. Changes in environmental codes also put the business out of compliance. Martinez needed a kitchen hood with fire suppression to meet code. The kitchen hood cost over $40,000. However, without it, the restaurant remained at risk of being shut down.

Luckily for the Peñasco community, a nonprofit supporting Peñasco and the surrounding communities named MAS Comunidad stepped up to help the restaurant with a USDA Rural Development “Rural Business Development Grant.” The nonprofit purchased the kitchen hood the restaurant needed to stay open, along with a new point-of-sale system.
When asked about what he enjoyed most over the last 53 years of running the business, Martinez mentioned his customers.
“Throughout the years we met a lot of people from all over the United States and a lot of people from different parts of Europe,” shared Martinez. “We even had some people from Australia and Japan. They are on the high road to Taos so they stop here.”
Now, thanks to MAS Communidad and Rural Development, tourists and locals passing through Peñasco on the high road to Taos can stop and enjoy a burger and shake at Victor’s Drive-In.
For more information on how Rural Development can help your rural community, visit the programs page. Visit the MAS Comunidad website to learn more about what they do for the community.