JACKSON TWP. − The walls are ablaze with vibrant color and imaginative characters inside the new Condado Tacos restaurant.
Everywhere you turn there is quirky creativity amid the backdrop of local history.
A blue-tinted President William McKinley dousing a taco with hot sauce while first lady Ida dips a chip in queso. Another wall is splashed with the imagery of a Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jacket made of cheese. Gold busts bear the faces of famous people with Canton connections, including football icon Jim Thorpe, drag queen Nina West, Grammy-winning singer Macy Gray, former Eagles touring drummer Joe Vitale, fellow classic rocker Boz Scaggs and "Big Mike" Schario, who has appeared on the television series, "Pawn Stars."
Multiple Canton-area artists were deep into their work as their collective and sprawling mural took shape on a recent weekday at the new Condado Tacos, which is scheduled to open Oct. 27 at Belden Village Mall.
Artwork was on every square inch of the 18-foot high walls. Left, right, up, down, in between.
Lara Croft, from "Tomb Raider," is reimagined with a taco head. A new take on Indiana Jones is also part of the lost treasure and adventure theme of the murals, all done in a spirited, campy and cartoonish style.
Inside the restrooms, artists painted hieroglyph-style symbols containing a hidden message. Just outside the adjoining hallway, a large wall is the canvas for an airship dropping hot sauce bombs. Across the dining room, scenes of a Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival parade gone a bit zany are emblazoned on columns and on the wall above the doors and windows.
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Together, the artwork and its sheer scope is an enthralling exhibition.
But the elaborate visual stimulation is nothing new for Condado, a Columbus-based chain serving freshly-made tacos with an array of toppings and flavor combinations, as well as margaritas and tequila. Condado has about 40 locations with plans to grow to 100.
Art gone wild at restaurant
Condado seeks out local artists on Instagram and Google for the mural work at each new location, said Alyssa Martin, the company's visual experience manager. Sometimes artists reach out to Condado, she noted.
Martin and the project lead "go through and see who we think could fit the Condado vibe and the theme we've come up with," she said.
Murals incorporate both local history and Condado's signature characters ― ghost peppers, Peezler the cat and moon man, said Roger Drake, who heads Condado's marketing and public relations.
Columbus-based artist Adam Hernandez, who is serving as the artist lead at the Belden Village site, developed the "Quest for Canton's Treasures" theme.
Martin said themes are sometimes derived from something specific in the area, but for the Stark County restaurant, "the theme was chosen more so as a landing place and narrative for all the amazing Canton references we found. This allowed us to throw a whole bunch of Canton into the murals."
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Artists fully embraced the artistic freedom granted, said Canton artist David Sherrill.
"They really allowed us to be just as wild as we wanted to in the designs," he said. "And gave us lots of time; they bought the very best paint for us, all the supplies that we needed. It's been awesome."
Sherrill stood in the restaurant space while gesturing at the colors and patterns surrounding him.
"It's been a blast," he said gleefully. "It's more like a summer camp than actually working."
'This was very strange even by my standards.'
Each artist painted their own section of the restaurant. Canton-area artists also included Tim Carmany, John "Dr Demon" Jordan, Kat Francis, Steve Ehret and Jake Mensinger, along with Matt Miller of Akron and formerly of Canton.
Francis' mural work depicts taco planes as an ode to the MAPS Air Museum in Green near the Akron-Canton Airport.
Ehret and Miller played on fanciful references to Canton's former Mother Goose Land, including Humpty Dumpty and The Three Little Pigs.
Also contributing were Hernandez and his brother Anthony Pomales.
"The themes we come up with, they're all pretty whimsical and fantastical," said Hernandez, who has worked on several Condado murals. "And we find ways to tie that into locales."
Siblings Lizzi Aronhalt and Caleb Aronhalt of Akron also contributed to the murals at the Jackson Township Condado. Rounding out the collaboration is AJ (Anthony) Cianciola, another Ohio artist.
Mensinger of North Canton said he knew Hernandez from the Columbus art scene.
"I learned a ton from all the other artists," Mensinger said of working on the mural. "There's some real talent here. It leveled me up."
He said the experience also exposed him to new types of painting, including wet-on-wet, a technique of painting directly on top of wet paint without allowing the lower layer to dry.
Mensinger painted the scene where the taco tomb raider breaks into the McKinley Monument.
"I'm used to doing crazy stuff," he said with a smile. "But this was very strange even by my standards."
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Carmany, owner of The Hub Art Factory in downtown Canton, said it's been inspiring to work with the other artists. Collaborating on the murals also has pushed him outside his typical painting styles and methods.
"It's been great and it's been exciting to watch them work," he said. "I'm flattered to be part of the project."
Cool Condado art
Customized artwork is a signature of every Condado restaurant.
"I find it such a cool aspect of this brand," Drake said. "I've been in hospitality for almost 30 years now, and Condado Tacos is such a special brand, but the whole art and the visuals and the color is so core to what and who Condado is."
"Tongue and cheek" humor is also part of the artwork, Hernandez said. And images can be edgy, too.
"It's quite an experience," he said. "And I think people really get a kick out of it when they walk in here and just see all the energy, color and art."
"It's like all these artists in the community all in one place together," Hernandez added. "It's almost like a museum … where people can go see these local artists are really bringing their 'A' game."
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Condado's art story begins with its founder
Condado founder and CEO Joe Kahn has incorporated art into the restaurants since the first location opened near Ohio State University in 2014.
"Joe is not an artist by trade, but he does get very involved in the art," Drake said of Kahn, who is also Condado's chief innovation officer. "He has an eye for the art; he is a very unique character. He's so hard to describe, he really is ... (and) he wants to create an environment where folks feel very comfortable, but where something special is going on."
Condado's emphasis on artwork has evolved and grown at subsequent locations, Drake said.
Prior to the pandemic, Condado had 16 restaurants, he said. Condado will have 39 stores by the end of the year and projects 100 by 2026.
Localizing the art takes it to another level, Martin said.
"They do something more than paint," she said of the artists. "As much research as we can do on the area and its history, landmarks and special features, it's just not the same as involving people from the community we're joining."
Martin raved about the passion and energy of the Canton artist team.
"They give us details and stories we never would've known from a Google search," she said. "Even more, the artists arehelping us meet the vibe of thecity,melding it with Condado, and leaving it on our walls for everyone toexperience."
Drake said the creative license given to artists is emblematic of Condado's philosophy overall.
"Condado is about community, and it's all about inclusiveness," he said. "One of the mottos ... is come as you are and be who you are. You are going to see a lot of tattoos and a lot of rings and things like that (with employees), and you're going to get great service."
'It's almost like an amusement park or something.'
Both Drake and Sherrill said the artwork enhances the dining experience.
"If you have never been to a Condado before, they're really a ton of fun to go into because it's really a lot of stimulation," Sherrill said. "It's a lot of stuff going on. There's a lot to see. It's almost like an amusement park or something.
"I hope when people come in here and they experience this, they get kind of excited about the art in Canton, because this is five different artists and all of the other ones are Ohio artists," he said. "And it's good art. I've never been able to work on one piece of art for a month straight ... but it really makes it a unique experience, and it's going to be one of the best places to eat in Canton, Ohio."
Mensinger said he's also excited to share the murals with the public.
"Making art accessible is particularly important to me," he said. "Anything that brings art to the people; you don't necessarily expect yourself to be immersed in art when you eat tacos, but this gives them that opportunity ... to support art or begin exploring it on their own."
"Anybody can pick up a brush, but I like the idea of kids being inspired to do art," Mensinger added. "It takes courage and possibly a bit of inspiration. I feel like some people feel they need permission, and maybe this will give that to them."
Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com
On Twitter @ebalintREP
