By MARK HIGGINS
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Many came here looking for a second chance

What is fascinating about White Center are the stories of the people whocame looking for that second chance in life, or who carry the hope that they canbetter themselves or their families through education and just plain hard work.

Taqueria Guaymas, the homey Mexican restaurant on Roxbury Street, is runby Jose Estrada and his partner Salvador Sahagan, who owns three otherrestaurants. Sahagan's menu serve only authentic Mexican dishes, includingchirizo (a spicy sausage) and sesos tripas (brains).

The partners and their families immigrated from the same village in the stateof Jalisco, Mexico, which has a population of about 1,500. About 70 percent oftheir employees also came up from the village, Sahagan says.

"There was no future there, no work. You have to leave if you are going to dosomething. It took a little while to learn English. But if you know what you want to do and stick with it, you can do it," Sahagan says.

A half block from Taqueria Guaymas is Salvadorean Bakery, owned andoperated by Anna Castro and her sister, Aminta Elgum. Both fled El Salvador tostart a new life in America. Castro says she left her homeland in 1982. Her sister,who ran a bakery in El Salvador, soon followed.

The siblings dreamed of someday opening their own bakery. They saved,scrimped and pooled their money. Finally they opened the bakery on SouthwestRoxbury a year ago.

All their baking is done by hand. Some days, Castro wonders if they will beable to sell enough of their pastries, cakes and sweetened breads to survive. Thecommunity has been very supportive and two business owners have becomementors, she adds.

"They say, `Be patient. Be patient. You will make it,' " she says with a smile.About a block from the Salveson's apartment, over on 16th AvenueSouthwest, is one of their favorite Vietnamese places, Pho, where you can get asteaming bowl of fresh noodles and fragrant broth for under $4. At dinner onenight, the Salvesons say they never feel afraid walking around theirneighborhood.

And what a fascinating place it has become.

Continued:

• A community outgrows its wilder days
• White Center is undergoing a cultural revolution of its own
• Reputation of wild and woolly past still lingers
• Looking for a few good community leaders
• Low home prices make area a good place to start out