District Taco Coming to King of Prussia Town Center

Source, Montco Today, Jordyn Bear

Diners in Montgomery County will be getting another mouthwatering option when District Tacoopens in King of Prussia Town Center this October, writes Rebecca Cooper for Philadelphia Business Journal.

This is the popular Mexican restaurant chain’s first location outside of its Washington D.C. base and will not be the last. Owner Osiris Hoil, is already planning to open at least three more locations in Philadelphia area by the end of next year.

Hoil was attracted to King of Prussia Town Center by its impressive array of tenants.

“I always wanted to be part of the cool kids,” said Hoil. “So I take that mentality in my business: REI, Apple, Whole Foods, Fogo de Chao — I love those brands. I always wanted to be part of that real estate.”

Early on, when District Taco was jumping from a street vendor to a brick-and-mortar restaurant, however, he wasn’t necessarily getting offers to open in those spaces near the “cool kid” retailers.

“Now, after seven or eight years, we’ve become the cool kids as well. And I feel very happy and humbled that it has worked out,” Hoil added.

He decided to bring District Taco to Philly as its first market outside of D.C. because the city is known for its food scene — and because he wanted to show that the brand can travel. The goal would be to expand further north, to Boston and New York, before coming back south again.

So far, the expansion has been funded by cash from operations and a bank loan, but Hoil does expect to start courting investors next year with an eye toward taking on meaningful investment in 2019, he said.

In the short term, another D.C.-area District Taco will open in October, this one in College Park. Hoil said he is also in talks to open in the Kentlands in Gaithersburg.