About
<img src="http://www.macayo.com/History/Images/WoodyVictoriabyTruck.jpg" width="420">
1940
Woody and Victoria, high school
sweethearts, were married on
Christmas Eve.
<img src="http://www.macayo.com/History/Images/Central50s.jpg" width="420">
1946
Woody Johnson returns from serving in WWII and opens Woody’s El Nido on 37 W. McDowell with only six tables and a counter.
1951
Little Woody’s is established, with only10 tables. Sopapillas were the only dessert on the menu.
<img src="http://www.macayo.com/History/Images/FiestaFarm.jpg" width="420">
1952
Macayo opened on 4001 N. Central
Avenue. Celebrities who’ve dined at
Macayo’s Central: Liberace, Fleetwood Mac, Bill Cosby,Wilt Chamberlin, Jim Nabors, Alice Cooper and Elvira.
1959
Lillian O’Keeffe was hired as a waitress. Today she works as a hostess at the Thunderbird Road location, 45 years later! Macayo East Charleston Vegas opens.
<img src="http://www.macayo.com/History/Images/OrangeFlowerTile.gif" width="420">
1967
State Restaurant Equipment, Inc. is founded to buy restaurant equipment at wholesale for the growing company.
1968
Macayo’s Paradise Las Vegas opens.
1971
Macayo’s West Charleston Las Vegas opens.
1972
Chile shortage caused Woody Johnson to find his own source. Fiesta Canning Company owns and operates a manufacturing facility in McNeal, AZ. that is 100,000 sq. ft. on twelve acres of land, and farms approximately 1,000 acres. Today it is the 3rd largest chile producer canning 30 million pounds a year.
1973
Scottsdale Macayo’s opens at 4218 N. Scottsdale Road. 1974 Macayo’s West Las Vegas opens.
1975
Macayo’s North Las Vegas opens.
1976
Woody’s El Nido closes.
1979
Macayo’s Thunderbird opens.
1982
Macayo’s Del Norte opens. Macayo’s Mesa opens
1986
Little Woody’s closed when the leased expired. TV crews and newspapers were present to witness the sign coming down. Macayo’s Henderson Vegas opens.
1987
Macayo’s Westridge (now called Desert Sky) opens.
1988
Fiesta Grande! Phoenix Mayor Terry
Goddard was sworn in as President of the National League of Cities in Boston and celebrates by throwing a Mexican Fiesta for 1,000 people! To ensure the food was exact to his specifications, he had Macayo’s fly it in—150 gallons of Margaritas, 3,500 Mini-Tamales, Tacos, Fajitas and Chicken Maximillian with his favorite chips and salsa!