Inspiring Conversations with Dayna Lee of Comal 864

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dayna Lee. 

Hi Dayna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I spent years in the service industry – waiting tables, pouring beer, balancing large and hot plates on my arms. It was tiring, physically and mentally. But it brought me some level of joy. I knew that I wanted to SERVE, I just didn’t want to A) do it for $2.13 an hour and B) I wanted it to make a real impact. 

After moving 24 hours away from my hometown of Brownsville, TX to Greenville, SC, I ran through jobs. Started with serving and managing a chain restaurant, and ended up with a pretty cushy desk job on Main Street. I remember being in charge of office events and caterings and found slight joy in feeding everyone and taking the leftovers downstairs to the people who frequent Main Street in search of a meal. For a while, it was every week that I would wrap up food that I had put aside to take to whoever may be in need of a hot meal within the 5-block radius I would walk. 

That wasn’t sustainable though, because desk jobs require that you actually be good behind the desk, too. So, I got depressed. I knew had to do “adult” things, but it simply wasn’t fulfilling. 

At the same time, I was living in a space where I missed home very much. I still hadn’t really leaned into being a new resident of the Upstate. I missed the food I grew up eating in South Texas and I missed the very specific culture that is unique to the Texas and Mexico border. I felt alienated and isolated. So, I started cooking. I had very little money, but I was able to secure a business license and I started making breakfast tacos. I started using social media to find establishments that would let me set up shop and sell my breakfast tacos. I vividly remember thinking, “Well, this is a cool little side gig” while I worked for pennies with a local caterer. My boss at the time would ask me, “How are your little burritos doing?” with a condescending tone and it used to make me itch. I remember how the first few weeks; I would be thrilled with selling one or two breakfast tacos. I had no clue what I was doing, but I knew it felt right. 

It didn’t take more than 6 months for things to start really taking off, every week was better sales-wise. People were starting to reach out for pop-ups at their establishments and our social media presence was growing. Then Covid-19 hit and I had to figure out very quickly whether I was going to sink or swim. Pivoting was the word of the year for 2020, and I started zooming around town in my little red car doing deliveries. Delivering large trays of tacos, tortilla chips, salsas, guacamole, ANYTHING that would allow me to continue to operate safely without losing the momentum I had acquired. I think people saw the grit approach I used during that tough time because I felt like if I kept working – I wouldn’t have time to be so anxious about what the future held. 

After a few months, we all knew more about the virus. We knew what protocols would help keep people safe and keep our business operating, so we went back to hosting pop-ups and doing small caterings. We kept growing, but it was always on my mind that I wanted my own little space to serve people that was curated to feel like home. 

It took over 2 years, but here I am now. I own a restaurant that sits on the corner of a bustling street and a lively residential neighborhood, where people walk up and down all day. I get to figure out how I can most significantly make a direct impact on the people of this neighborhood, all while maintaining a business that brings real fulfillment to me every day. I am always stressed, always nervous – but I would be like this regardless, so at least I get to channel that energy into something positive. I get to plan Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day feasts where with the help of friends we are able to give away hundreds of plates… for free. I get to partner up with local organizations and provide coats and gloves and useful things to people in our neighborhood that don’t have the resources. I get to do all of this because I went with my instincts when it told me that my purpose in this world is to serve my neighbors. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t know a smooth road if it hit me square between the eyes. I’ve always been the type of person who makes major mistakes, and then makes another mistake for good measure. A smooth road is not in sight over here, and I am okay with that. Because the fact that nothing has been easy, nothing has been handed to me makes it that much more meaningful. The lessons I have learned from this bumpy road are priceless, and not easily forgotten. I make less mistakes now than I did 3 years ago, and I hope to continue that path. 

One of the biggest struggles was maintaining the momentum the business was seeing right as the pandemic hit. I truly believe that if I had not reacted quickly, the business would not have survived. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Comal 864. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Comal 864 is a Mexican American restaurant that serves Greenville, SC. It’s a woman-owned, Latina-owned business that proudly serves a fusion fare inspired by the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. We serve breakfast, lunch & dinner using fresh and locally sourced ingredients. We make all of our sauces and salsas in-house and from scratch. 

I am very proud of the focus on community that my brand holds. Our neighbors know that you can come in and get a warm meal, regardless of the contents of your wallet. We have a pay it forward program here where you can add a few dollars to your tab, and those funds go directly to covering food costs for the food that we give away to our food-insecure neighbors. No one is turned away here, because food is not a privilege. 

Any big plans?
I would love to see a second location of Comal 864 in the next few years. I would love to see our salsas & sauces on grocery store shelves. I would love to see our brand expand beyond the borders of Upstate SC. 

Contact Info:

• Email: dayna@comal864.com
• Website: www.comal864.com
• Instagram: @comal.864
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comal864