Reputation Proceeds: Pikoso Burrito Co. Keeps Promises
Written for El Mexicano Newspaper, January 2024
Flora Barron’s family is known for restaurants, out of Northern Mexico. They were famous for tacos with shredded flank steak, lettuce, tomato, and avocado that “were extremely popular,” there, but didn’t find a home in Fort Wayne, she said.
Barron and her husband Samuel moved here 30 years ago; he worked at BF Goodrich and she eventually taught at FWCS for 19 years. While working their full-time jobs, Flora, wanting to bring her family’s namesake to the city, began exploring the idea of a food truck in 2017. Five months later, that business started as the food truck named Flora and Lily’s Mexican Kitchen.
The food truck idea, still a successful venture for wedding, corporate, and summer events, blossomed last year into Pikoso Burrito Company, a Mexican restaurant inside the new Union Street Market at Electric Works, 1622 Broadway; catering is also available.
Co-owned by Flora and Samuel, Pikoso is participating in the 2024 Savor Fort Wayne event from January 17-28, allowing patrons to take advantage of multi-course, value-priced menus at some of Fort Wayne’s best restaurants. Other participating Mexican restaurants include Mercado and El Azteca.
Opened in November 2022, Pikoso rode the wave of the debut of Electric Works, a next-level campus featuring big businesses like Do It Best, the immersive-learning Amp Lab for high school students, and a diverse collection of restaurants. “Everybody was excited about it,” Barron said. “Installation was top of the line, and the start-up cost was very low.”
The eventual learning curves were endured by the Barrons, thanks to what Flora has always known and seen at her family’s restaurant: the reliance on reputation. “I think a lot of business owners don’t know that consistency is extremely important,” she said about attending to the small things, like opening and closing on schedule.
Those small things fulfilled are promises kept. And those promises protect your brand, Barron said. “You’re growing your brand; you’re not just growing a small establishment. If you really want to do this seriously, you have to make sure people know you by the quality and the products you offer.”
Pikoso offers what it calls an upgrade of “taqueria” tacos with three options: Street, Pollo Al Pastor highlighted marinated chicken, and Vegetarian fronted by sweet potatoes and black beans. The Tortas (Asada and Milanesa) come with fries. A popular burrito and bowl, the Pork Belly is cooked with Korean sweet/spicy BBQ, Asian slaw, cucumber, siracha, and guacamole. It’s one of four options. “We put a lot of craftsmanship into them,” Barron said.
Unlike at establishments like Chipotle that encourage customers to randomly select ingredients, Pikoso chooses to pre-select flavors that compliment each other, to ensure what they think provides the best flavor experience. “We give customers what we think is good, and based on the repeat [business], I think it’s right,” she said.
Barron also owns Kanela Blended Drinks, Coffee, and Bites; it opened a second location, a drive-thru spot in New Haven, in January. Kanela will also participate in Savor Fort Wayne, offering coffee flights with mystery flavors.
Extending the family reputation, Barron’s sons own the restaurants Mercado and Papi’s Pizza, both on The Landing. She said when asked about their success, “I’m so proud of them.”