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Brundidge was bustling Wednesday morning as townspeople and visitors alike awaited the opening of Monarcas Mexican Restaurant on South Main Street.

The doors opened “warmly” around 11:30 and within minutes every booth and every table was filled.

“This is a great day in Brundidge and for Brundidge,” said Mayor Isabell Boyd. “It’s exciting to see so many people excited about Monarcas coming to our hometown. We welcome Martin Esquivel and Monarcas to Brundidge. We greatly appreciate the confidence he has shown in our town by locating Monarcas in our downtown. We cannot say  ‘thank you’ enough or ‘welcome’ too many times.”

The downtown business merchants welcomed Esquivel, his family and staff to Brundidge with expressions of gratitude and appreciation for “coming downtown and to a small-town.”

“I am excited and grateful to come to Brundidge,” Esquivel said. “We are so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the community. We are happy to be here and look forward to the times ahead.”

John Kennedy, owner of The Kennedy” in downtown Brundidge, said the opening of Monarcas is confirmation of the potential  and promise that exist in small towns.

Brundidge City Councilman Byron Gaynor, District 4, said the opening of Monarchs signals a new beginning for Brundidge.

“Brundidge is moving forward and we are grateful for those who believe in the future of small towns and are willing to invest in our town,” Gaynor said. “Brundidge is moving forward and we are excited and looking ahead to the good things to come.”

Marilyn Rogers, Council Member District 5,  said the recent growth in the downtown area has been encouraging.

“Mayor Boyd and our council are so appreciative of the dedication to our business community and to our citizens,” Rogers said. “We are looking forward, in a positive way, to  the future of Brundidge.

Monarcas will be closed on Mondays with opening hours daily at 10 a.m. Monarcas will close at 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 9:30 on Fridays and Saturdays; and 4 p.m. on Sundays.