2002 PNM ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARD WINNERS

Rural Entrepreneurs of the Year
Yvonne Braziel and Yvette Peacock | Del’s Restaurant, Tucumcari

Sisters as well as business partners, Yvonne and Yvette have been the owners of Del’s Restaurant since 1995 when they started with seven employees. Today, Del’s employs 44 full-time employees, including summer employment for area youth; annual sales exceeding $1.0 million. Located on historic Route 66, Del’s is a comfortable family restaurant which delights in providing guests with delicious food, a must-see gift shop and a truly memorable dining experience. The restaurant has been written up in the Chicago Times, New Mexico Magazine, Hotel Guest Life and Corvette Car and Parts. Yvonne and Yvette believe that in order to make New Mexico a better place to live, the effort must start with each individual. To this end, they started “Del’s Restaurant Scholarships, which provides four $500 scholarships to a student in Tucumcari’s four area schools.

Further reflective of their community spirit, Yvonne and Yvette are both involved in numerous community organizations and efforts, including the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Board, and the “Buy Tucumcari” Campaign. Equally impressive, Del’s provides ongoing training and support to employees and helps them to balance work and family life by scheduling work hours according to their personal needs and preferences. In the words of Del’s talented owners: “We know if we do not satisfy our customers, somebody else will. When we are through working for them, we hope to sit back with thoughts of “a job well done!”