When Carlos Loaiza started Half Rooted, his Colombian street food concept, his bank account was overdrawn by $500. A $20,000 check from an investor in December 2022 allowed the dream to move forward, but he pondered for a moment how the risk might affect his future.
He acquired his food truck and launched in March 2023, months after staring into the financial abyss.
Now he is on the precipice of bringing his concept out of the food truck sphere and into the former Cateran’s space at 1419 Wade Hampton Blvd.
“From an outside perspective, I sound crazy,” Loaiza said. He formed the LLC in 2021 and it took two years to refine his vision and get the food truck open. During that time, he shifted between stints in the now-shuttered Growler Haus in the Village of West Greenville and local restaurants like Abanico’s Tapas Bar downtown.
Loaiza comes from a Colombian family and is the first of his generation to be born in the United States. As a first generation citizen, Loaiza never misses a moment to acknowledge the sacrifice his parents made to raise him in the U.S. and the duality that opportunity awards him.
“There was always a big pressure on my shoulders because I was the first one with the blue passport,” he said, adding that he was expected to attend college. Instead, he chose to pursue a career in hospitality after watching his mother, Marleny, earn a living by cooking. Loaiza said he inherited the entrepreneurial spirit from his mom and dedication to craft from his dad.
Loaiza is also a father to a little girl, Juliana. Being a father has given him the drive to build something with the capacity for expansion. In 2024, the seed began to grow.
Tyler Cox, who operates Cateran’s with his mother, Teresa, said the business switched its focus to catering and closed the restaurant in April 2024, leaving the Wade Hampton space available. In October, Cox presented the opportunity to Loaiza to sublease the space.
Half Rooted in its brick-and-mortar form will look a little different. The menu is still being finalized. The goal is to have a create-your-own-meal service model.
The restaurant is expected to open mid-March. Its hours will be Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Vibes
The goal for Half Rooted’s brick-and-mortar is modern but relaxed. The color palette Loaiza hopes to implement includes earthy dark grays with warm oranges and lively greens.
