And the Village makes three.
With its official opening on Jan. 9, Jose’s Mexican Grill now has locations in Ferum, Rocky Mount, and Union Hall.
The grills are owned by Caesar and Gus Macias, and the brothers are involved in the day-to-day operations of all three establishments. Ceasar verified that the decision to expand the business was backed by popular demand.
“We have had a lot of customers from Ferrum visit us at our Rocky Mount location,” he explained. “We had a lot of customers ask us to open one up in Ferrum.”
When they saw the Mercantile Building across from the Campus, the brothers knew it was the perfect fit.
“The Mercantile Building was a great location,” Ceasar said. “When (President) Dr. (Mirta) Martin offered us the building, we fell in love with the place.”
The successful opening of the third Jose’s reflects the hard work and dedication of the Macias family.
“We want to keep expanding our business, making sure that we are serving great Mexican food,” Ceasar offered.
Arroz con pollo, fajitas, and birria tacos are the most popular items on the menu, according to Ceasar. That said, one could argue that Jose’s has it all.
“Those are the top three,” he said, “but not everything. We have steaks, subs, burgers, ribs, and of course, tacos.”
Although, Jose’s brings more to the community than just food. Rose Weaver, a local, also admires the work the Macias’ do for those in the area.
“My favorite part about Jose’s is how they care for the community. It’s more than just the business for them,” she exclaimed. “They offered free meals to veterans on Veteran’s Day. They donated 100 meals to the high school band. They’ve led fundraisers for locals facing structure fires at their homes and other life-changing events. When the most recent ice storm hit, the Rocky Mount Volunteer Fire Department ate for free after a weekend of responding to weather-related emergencies. And as if that list wasn’t enough, they offered meals to families left without access to warm meals during the same inclement weather conditions. There is no place I would rather dine at and support than Jose’s.”
Never bragging on themselves, the humility of Ceasar and Gus Macias shines a light on just how impactful a small business can be.
Manager Aleigha Police expressed only positivity for their im
pact to spread to the Ferrum area. She previously worked at the Rocky Mount location, and she said she was thrilled to help set up the restaurant in the Village.
“We’re just really grateful to be here, really grateful to serve out community a little bit,” she explained.
Since its opening, Jose’s has been a fan favorite for students at the college as well. Just a brief walk across campus, the restaurant is both convenient and welcoming.
“It is so cool to have somewhere nice to eat, so close,” stated junior Stone Gibbs. “With just a short trek across campus, you are met with a welcoming, warm environment, amazing food, and the perfect place to meet with friends.”
According to Police, Jose’s has received immense support from the college and community.
“Business has been pretty great. We’re really glad to have the support of the College, obviously, but also getting our ABC license has really helped us get more busy,” Police noted. “We’ve gotten a great amount of local Ferrum citizens, and they’re extremely happy for us to be here.”
Students at the college are encouraged to come out and enjoy the Mexican grill.
“Don’t forget to show us your Ferrum ID,” Ceasar noted. “You can receive 10% off of your meal.”
The Macias brothers also hope to make the restaurant eligible for the exchange of the college students’ Dining Dollars–so students could use their student IDs and have meal costs be deducted from their accounts.
“The idea of using dining dollars has been brought up once before, and I think it is a great idea to have in the near future,” explained Ceasar.
As business continues to grow, Ceasar hopes that the restaurant will come to be a local hotspot.
“Come and enjoy some good Mexican food,” he encouraged.
