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Lucharitos is expected to re-open early April. (Credit: Vera Chinese)

More tacos are coming to Greenport.

The Greenport Village Planning Board OK’d an expansion of downtown’s Lucharitos, which is expected to re-open in early April after over 20 residents and business owners showed up to support the business.

The taco and tequila bar will now have 50 tables and a 21-seat bar. That is compared to the  16 it could previously hold, in addition to 12 at the bar, according to owner Marc LaMaina.

The expansion will also include increased kitchen space, an additional bathroom, storage room, walk-in freezer, and an extended “U” shape bar.

“It was humbling,” Mr. LaMaina said Friday morning. “[It] made me fee like part of something special.”

1546369_10151936875152826_1869649495_nFollowing the meeting, Planning Board chairman Peter Jauquet said the biggest concern with Mr. LaMaina’s application was where staff would put the increased garbage associated with the growing restaurant. That issue was resolved when Mr. LaMaina said he would reserve space inside the renovated building to house leftover cardboard and install a trash compactor, Mr. Jauquet said.

With one board member absent, the board passed the motion green lighting the expansion 4-0, Mr. Jauquet said.

The vote comes just more than a month after Mr. LaMaina first proposed the expansion of his Main Street business to the board. Now that the necessary approvals are in place, Mr. LaMaina said he hopes to begin construction today, just as soon as he gets his building permit.

That work includes tearing down a wall to expand Lucharitos into a vacant space next door.

The additional space will also give Mr. LaMaina room to create a merchandise section of his restaurant to sell shirts and other products.

The restaurant is currently closed during construction. A soft re-opening is planned for April 2.

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