The story of Tortillas Blanco actually began in the early 1940’s at a cotton gin in southeast Texas. My grandfather Lynn Headrick, his father, and brothers operated a gin in Corpus Christi, Texas. During cotton picking season migrant Mexican workers would come to work. It was during that time my grandfather learned the Spanish language. Later on, my grandfather began preaching and continued to have an interest in Spanish mission work. He built strong relationships with the Hispanic people.
Moving forward to the 1980’s…My grandparents raised me and allowed me opportunities that I otherwise would not have experienced. My grandfather would take me on some of his mission trips. It was then I realized my love of good Mexican foods especially the fresh, hot, tortillas!!
In 1998 my grandfather passed away I was 18 years old. As an 18 year old I really didn’t know what I was going to do with the rest of my life. So, the search began. Several years went by, 7 years to be exact, of not finding what I was interested in doing. Until one day, while driving down Florence Blvd in Florence, AL, it hit me! Not a car, but an idea, an idea to make that wonderful bread I remembered as a young boy, tortillas!!
The work began of developing the concept. Little did I know how much work would take place, but I did it. Today, Tortillas Blanco is a restaurant and a chip manufacturing company with 6 stores currently on our route. Things are happening and growing. I cannot help but think about that young man working in the cotton gin, learning Spanish, and making another young boy a part of his life and leading me to where I am today.
