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    Mojo Tago Moving into Brick & Mortar

    It’s been four years since Brian Reed began offering the people of Columbus the chance to get some seriously delicious tacos on-the-go. The Mojo TaGo trucks are among the most popular in the city, regulars at festivals and events.

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    Food truck season is typically from May to October (Ohio weather permitting), which has limited Reed, and several other truck owners, and caused them to halt their businesses when the days turn cold.

    Timing is everything, however, and when the property at 24 Grace Drive in Powell, formerly C. William’s Bistro, became available, Reed saw it as an ideal opportunity to not only expand his operations to year-long, but to grow his brand as well.

    “I don’t know if I or the business were really ready for this step until now,” shares Reed. “Powell is a great market of sophisticated customers. I believe they appreciate quality and, in the past, have been very supportive of the trucks.”

    The name of the shop will remain the same. Immediately recognizable, customers will be be able to get their favorite tacos in one of two ways: from the carry-out side of the shop, or as a sit-down meal served inside the 1,000 square feet of restaurant space (the whole shop is 2,000 square feet).

    The “TaGo” side of the shop will offer visitors an easy way to order anywhere from 2 to 200 tacos for pick-up. They will be able to order on-site, or call ahead for the same fresh, scratch-made, Mexican-inspired fare they can also enjoy in the dining room.

    The menu will grow only slightly at Mojo TaGo Powell, Reed invested in only making a few things, and making them the best they can be. The Korean BBQ Tacos will be a mainstay on the menu, but guests can expect new and exciting taco offerings, like a Duck Confit.

    The menu should only occupy half of an 8½” x 11″ page, the other half featuring a brand new cocktail menu. Reed has secured a liquor license, and will begin serving fresh-made, hand-crafted, tequila-based drinks, as well as six beers on tap, and plenty of Corona in bottle.

    The main advantage the new brick and mortar offers though, is kitchen space. Before Reed could really consider scalable growth, he realized he would have to have his own cooking space (he had been cooking in the kitchen of his good friend, Tom Anthony, of Chile Verde Restaurants).

    Having his own kitchen not only means that customers can get tacos all year long, but it allows the Nina and the Pinta (the two food trucks) to be available for more catering gigs, even during the holiday season.

    “The truck is very seasonal, as you can imagine,” adds Reed. “Having our own kitchen and restaurant will allow us to grow in the off months, along with giving us better efficiency during the season. It gives our fans a place to get our food all year long with different options.”

    Mojo TaGo Powell will seat 45 guests at a time, and aims to serve lunch and dinner, Tuesday-Saturday, once open. They are already considering adding Sunday hours, as well as a new patio in the Spring. MoJo TaGo Powell should open this October.

    For more info, visit www.mojotago.com.

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    Ayana Wilson
    Ayana Wilsonhttps://columbusunderground.com
    Ayana Wilson is a former staff writer at Columbus Underground who covered local restaurant industry news.
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