Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series of stories spotlighting Marshall-area businesses owned by members of our Hispanic community.

Nestled along East Pinecrest Drive in Marshall is a new Guatemalan and Salvadoran restaurant serving a taste of Central American cuisine.

Behind the restaurant is Glendi Garcia, who began her journey in the restaurant industry when she came to the United States from Guatemala in 2005. She started out washing dishes at restaurants, and since then, her goal has been to own her own place.

“My dream was to one day, and I always prayed to God, to be able to open my own restaurant because I love cooking,” Garcia said.

She originally lived in Dallas but was never able to make her dream come true until she moved to Marshall.

La Chapina opened its doors in November.

Inside the restaurant is a mural of a landscape with one side displaying a map of Guatemala and the other side with a map of El Salvador. Garcia’s husband is from El Salvador, which is why she decided to represent both countries when developing the restaurant.

The name La Chapina, she explained, is a word used in Guatemala to describe a woman.

“An indigenous woman that’s a hard worker and a fighter,” Garcia said.

After working for years to be able to have her own business, Garcia had objectives in mind for the day she finally opened. She first wanted to wear a traditional Guatemalan shirt to receive her customers, and she also promised God that on opening day, she would give her customers a free taste of a dish called “pupusas.”

Pupusas, which Garcia said are a customer favorite, is a Salvadorian dish — stuffed corn tortilla with cheese that can be combined with other ingredients such as beans, pork rinds, jalapenos, loroco (an edible flower from Central America), squash and spinach.

La Chapina’s other dishes include Guatemalan tamales, empanadas, breakfast items and more.

“We’re working to get (the community) to try a little bit of El Salvador and Guatemalan food,” she said.

Garcia also likes to add new foods to the menu.

“I like to please the customers. Whatever they ask for — we make it, and if we don’t have it, we learn to make it,” she said.

Garcia said having the restaurant is a blessing from God, and she would like to invite the community to try some of her authentic dishes.

Above all, she wants to encourage people wanting to start a business not to give up and work toward that goal.

“Don’t be afraid nor ashamed,” Garcia said.

She especially wants to encourage Latinas like herself who might have doubts and fear failure to go after their dreams.

“I know that with the help of God, we can do it,” Garcia said.

La Chapina is at 707 E. Pinecrest Drive. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The restaurant is closed Sunday.