Why it belongs in ORBIS
East Austin elote stand at 2214 E 7th St, opened 2013 by Honduran-born Jose Luis Cardona and Ivan Gonzalez to bring imported Mexican white corn to Texas; known for elote on a stick and summer mangonadas.
Hay Elotes opened in 2013 on East 7th Street in Austin, founded by Jose Luis Cardona, who is originally from Honduras and had lived in Austin for nearly two decades, together with partner Ivan Gonzalez. The idea began with a simple observation: Mexican white corn, a savory variety distinct from the sweet yellow corn common in the U.S., was hard to find locally. After securing FDA approval to import it, Cardona built the shop's menu around it, naming the business after the traditional street-vendor call 'Hay elotes!' The shop specializes in elote on a stick, chips, and aguas frescas, and in summer draws lines for its mangonadas.