Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1184228
5 2 | M A C O N M A G A Z I N E F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 9 W H AT ' S I N S I D E ? Valerie Cork Owner of Margarita's at Mercer Village W e love to get to know our fellow Maconites a little more, taking a peek at what 's in their bag or on their desk. For this issue, we caught up with with Valerie Cork, the owner of Margarita's at Mercer Village, to learn more about her and get the low down on one of our favorite dining spots. DESCRIBE ONE OF YOUR T YPICAL DAYS. Wake up; get the kids up for school, and then I go to the gym. Come home and do some paperwork and bills, and then get ready to go to the restaurant. Then, pick up [the four] kids from school, homework, basketball games and dinner! WHAT MAKES MARGARITA'S THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN MACON? The fact that we try to give our customers what they want in variety and cost. Our food is fresh and is prepared as you order, and we use fresh vegetables directly from the Georgia State Farmers Market. My husband drives up weekly to get the produce. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SERVE GOOD FOOD TO PEOPLE AND HELP THEM SHARE A MEAL WITH OTHERS? When you come into Margarita's, we want you to feel at home. It 's a hangout place for Mercer students, yet we also love to see our locals and families come in. HOW DOES YOUR FAMILY 'S CULTURE PLAY A ROLE IN YOUR SUCCESS? Our culture is strong in faith and family, and we continue to have a strong family background. So … this is my store. With the six restaurants between my family in Middle Georgia, we probably employ more than 100 people. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR AN ASPIRING RESTAURANT OWNER? Don't do it! Just kidding. It 's not as easy as people think or as some people make it look. It is a 24/7 job. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS CONTRIBU TED MOST TO YOUR SUCCESS? Probably 30 years of experience, hard work, enjoying my work and the family business, decent food, and I don't stress about the small stuff. I don't let anything stress me out usually, I just go with the flow. Whatever happens that day, I fix it and move on. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIFFANY OLSON HANDMADE ORNAMENT FROM HER 2-YEAR-OLD YOU'D BE SURPRISED "... at some of the calls I get. Unless we're closed, my phone is always on."