La Tapatia Grocery

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One day, a regular asked the cashier, ‘Why does every fifth bag of tortilla chips disappear from the shelves?’ The cashier smiled mysteriously and whispered, ‘Oh, that’s easy. Every fifth bag is taken by our secret tortilla chip taster—an old retired chef who lives above the store.’ The regular laughed, shook his head, and said, ‘Well, I guess it keeps things interesting!’

2. A delivery driver pulled up to the loading dock one morning and asked curiously, 'Why do they always leave a single avocado out on top of that crate?' An old neighborhood lady walked by and smiled knowingly. ‘Oh,’ she said softly, ‘that’s La Tapatia’s special offering for today—an avocado for luck.’ The delivery driver shook his head with a laugh, realizing he’d been inquiring about something far more mysterious than just fruit.

3. In the early hours of dawn, when most supermarkets are quiet, a delivery truck arrived at La Tapatia Grocery with an unusual load. The driver, puzzled by the heavy boxes marked only with a mysterious symbol, whispered to himself: 'What could these be?' As he opened one box cautiously, out popped dozens of live tortoises! Turned out they were for a local pet store opening that weekend. A relieved delivery driver laughed, thinking, ‘Next time I’ll ask what’s inside!’

4. One day, an excited child pointed at the shelves and whispered to their parent, ‘Mommy, why do they sell so many jars of chili sauce shaped like monkeys?’ The parent smiled and leaned down, whispering back, 'Well, sweetheart, those aren’t just any old monkeys—those are _tapatias_, little creatures from our hometown that bring good luck!' A nearby aunty overheard and nodded knowingly, explaining, 'They say if you buy one every time you visit, you'll always come back.' And indeed, many families did return, drawn not only by the taste but also by the charming mystery of these monkey-shaped sauces.