Taco Sublime, a pandemic-born endeavor from Owner Khaled Simon, is raising money to build a brick-and-mortar location of the concept, which has operated as a food truck since March 2020. A fire that took place on the morning of December 12 has forced Simon to suspend food truck services while he raises the funds to refurbish the truck and in turn open a storefront. Simon organized a GoFundMe campaign for Taco Sublime on December 16th.
“On December 12, 2021, I woke up to what looked like an episode of Chicago Fire. The Baby was engulfed in flames. I tried to salvage a single plate, but everything was destroyed,” reads a description of the fundraiser.
Taco Sublime is more than a mobile eatery. The company has evolved into a support system for Chicago’s un-housed community. According to the fundraiser description, “Taco Sublime has co-hosted two winter drives, where we’ve served meals and assisted various encampments to shoes, winter accessories, and coats. In total, we’ve provided over 60 tents, 300 gloves, 300 beanies, and 400 blankets.”
Though the fire is a setback, Simon is looking to rebuild. “The funds will be used to build a storefront for Taco Sublime and to refurbish The Baby,” shares the description. “This will allow us to continue serving the transient community on a larger scale and become a hub of support. We will introduce a program for rehabilitation and societal reintegration through food service and culinary arts. We are committed to providing a direct pathway of employment for our program members.”
Block Club Chicago reports Simon is eyeing either Pilsen or the West Side for a possible Taco Sublime storefront. His goal is to raise $55,000. Find Taco Sublime online to learn more.
