From street to store: Juarez “Barbacoa” restaurant crosses decades, overcomes challenges

JUAREZ, Chihuahua -- "Barbacoa El Chino" in Juarez has been operating for decades.

Owner, Arturo Carmona, born and raised in Juarez, took over the business from his former boss and has been running it for over three decades now.

The business started in the streets of Juarez, selling food from a car. Eventually, the family would move into a store. Building everything from the ground up.

Carmona found a way to recycle used bottlecaps from returnable soda bottles. He turned trash into art and placed that art on one of his restaurant walls. One of his creations shows the shape of Mexico floating on a sea of yellow bottle caps.

"Barbacoa El Chino" can be found in downtown Juarez at the 519 block of Francisco Sarabia, Barrio Alto near downtown Juarez.