ST. CLOUD — Before Taco Villa closed a decade ago, the Waite Park restaurant was known for its Americanized tacos and quirky favorites like the pizza burrito.
The restaurant, which is said to have introduced St. Cloud to the taco in the mid-1960s, was still popular when it shuttered in December 2011.
"They had lines five to six blocks [long]. People were waiting for hours," said St. Cloud developer Bob Abel of the taco joint's last day of business. "It left a big hole. It was almost like a cult."
That scene repeated when Abel and his daughter-in-law Sue Abel opened Taco Villa in downtown St. Cloud on March 1.
"We had to call the police. It was getting to the point where the line was down and around the block and blocking traffic," Bob Abel said. "They weren't happy. So we've tried to speed it up."
The restaurant, in the former Taco John's building near the Stearns County Courthouse, is open limited hours and is drive-thru only while the owners hire and train employees, although Abel said he hopes to open indoor dining in April.
While the descendants of original owner Lyle Kjesbo are not involved with the business, the Abels purchased the original recipes from a former partner of Kjesbo.
"Getting the original recipes was huge. They weren't cheap but it's a distinct flavor," Bob Abel said. "I have a hard time explaining it. It's totally different than what you get at Taco John's or Taco Bell. It's a niche deal. It's also nostalgic."
