Luis Morales is preparing to open Roots Latin Grill at 4721 W. Wabash in Springfield, and he says the new restaurant will reflect his own Bolivian roots.
Morales started working on the concept last year and originally planned to partner with a friend who already owns other restaurants in the area. However, he ultimately decided to move forward on his own and signed a lease for the space that formerly housed Gyros Stop. I was really lucky that Corky Joyner offered me the opportunity of making this dream come true, said Morales.
In South American culture, everything is around food. I remember growing up, the idea of eating was not just the fact that you were hungry; it was a time to share with the family. Everybody had to sit down. It was about sharing time to enjoy good food, Morales said.
He noted that he will not have slot machines or televisions in his restaurant to help create a better atmosphere for people to enjoy each others company. I want to focus on the roots we had, how we grew up and were taught to do things back then.