We have so many landmark type of restaurants and buildings in Amarillo, but sadly a lot of them never end up updating their places of business. Over time, they end up catching a bit of a rundown look and if you don't already know about it, you tend to stay away from going there.

Sadly, we are very much a judge a book by its cover society, so making sure the storefront looks nice is key in drawing new business in.

One of those restaurants, La Frontera, has been serving up amazing Mexican food in Amarillo for 40 years. However, over the years, the building has started to fade a bit. It was in need of a proverbial facelift, but those can be expensive.

Mary Martinez, the owner of La Frontera, was very aware that the appearance of the building needed updating, so she started digging into ways to get the things accomplished that she needed.

The city has a grant program called the Business Improvement Grant, or BIG for short. The program is targeted at businesses in the Barrio, Eastridge, North Heights and San Jacinto neighborhoods and it's all about helping them upgrade their appearance.

The grant provides 50% of the related costs for the upgrades, with a maximum match of $20,000 for the repairs and upgrades. Mary applied for the grant, and she was approved for it. She immediately went to work.

A new front door, awning improvements, new paint, new outdoor security lighting in the front and back of the building, hand railing improvements at the entrance, and new paint around the windows to help make the restaurant pop.

Martinez mentioned it's the best the building has ever looked, so hey, if you're looking for a place to grab a bite to eat, go check out the new and improved La Frontera.

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