“My name is Aurora Pichardo and I am the owner of Domican Restaurant4 in our charming town on Main Street in Farmingdale. I come from the countryside of the Dominican Republic where the life I lived was not kind. I came to the United States at the age of 17 on November 4, 1986. It was very sad to leave my mother, brothers and nephew but I had already set a goal for myself which was to work hard and make sure my family could be well. Tears filled me inside because of how much I was going to miss my mother, but at the same time it gave me strength for all the times that I saw her suffer. This allowed me to gain strength to continue on, to be braver and stronger in order to work harder. Honestly, I never had the opportunity to study, but I always dreamed of being someone. I was a waitress for 23 years. I always dedicated myself 100% to my work with all my intentions to improve myself and help my family. I was able to fulfill one of my dreams of obtaining my citizenship and being able to legally bring my family here, so they could have a better life. There were times when I barely slept because I had two jobs, but I have always considered myself a warrior and knew that this was the only way to continue fulfilling my dreams.
Eventually, I got married and had an incredibly beautiful son who is my greatest pride and joy. I swore to myself that I would always provide for what he needed and would give him what I never had. I fought hard, saved and took out a loan so I could send him to college and it payed off. Today he is a proud teacher.
Another goal I set for myself was to have my own business. I have always asked God to guide me. One day with my old boss we were passing by on Main Street in Farmingdale, and we saw that there was a place available. I felt that God was listening to my prayers and we saw the opportunity to open a restaurant here, thanks to my ex-boss, who was like a father to me, may he rest in peace. I was able to achieve my other dream—to have my own buisness.
I have always been and will always be grateful to the people of Farmingdale who have supported me from the beginning. To all my clients who have supported me over the past 11 years, I always make sure to let them know how much I love them and I appreciate them. I want to continue to be part of this beautiful community and continue to offer the variety of food that Latinos have.”
Dominican Restaurant 4 is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 11 pm. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, food ready for people with tight schedules as well as restaurant service for those who want to enjoy a relaxed meal with delicious dishes, cocktails and other specialties on their menu. When the weather permits, there are outdoor tables to enjoy a family meal, business lunch or meetings in general.
