Mary Grace’s Words Of Wisdom For Moms

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Anyone who has ever dined at any Mary Grace Café will attest that everything about the place reminds you of the comforts of home – from the comfy interiors, to the flavorful dishes that remind you of Lola’s home-cooked meals.  The secrets are in the restaurant’s memoirs of the mother behind the cafe.

Unknown to many, restaurant owner Mary Grace Dimacali started this business when she was already 44 years old. Although the idea was already planted in her early 30s when she would experiment with different recipes in her own kitchen, the plan of selling to the public outside of the home had to be put on hold when she got pregnant with her first baby.

She knew her priorities early on. Her passion for cooking and baking would have to wait. Her focus was on the family. “I had to lay down the foundation first – my family – before I even open at least a kiosk. Today, my kids are the pillars of the business. Everything would not have materialized were it not for my family’s support,” Mary Grace said.

The first Mary Grace kiosk was put up when her kids were already in college. She was already 50 when one of her kids decided to help her out after graduation.

She still marvels at the fact that the name is serendipitous. While it is eponymously named, the two names that comprise it has separate representations. A devotee of Our Lady of Fatima, the name “Mary” holds a very special spot in Mary Grace’s heart. On the other hand, the first letters in each of her five children’s names form the name “Grace”: Gabriel, Raphael, Adrian, Chiara, and (Marian) Ernestine. Four of them are currently involved in the business operations, while the eldest Chiara is expected to join them once she returns from London.

Today, Mary Grace kiosks and restaurants can be seen in major malls around Metro Manila. Her branches are favorite go-to dining places for office people during weekdays, and families on weekends. Her SM branches are especially strong especially during big events and Sunday masses. “The daily foot traffic and locations of SM malls are important considerations for me whenever I put up branches. It attracts a good mix of customers – families, friends, and working people – who are also my target customers,” Mary Grace said.

Now a grandmother to seven children, Mary Grace admits she could not have gone through the success that her brand is receiving without the ingredients that God has placed in her life. “My personal symbol for this is the triangle: family, business, community. I keep these three balanced through fervent prayers, and a lot of support from friends,” she reveals. “On the business side, our purpose is to give hope to people who seek employment, as well as to represent the country through a quality brand of products and service that is truly Filipino.”

Asked what she would give as advice to mothers who also want to go into business while looking after their family, Mary Grace has this to say: “Handle being a mom first, and everything will fall into place in God’s time. Only then can you handle every kind of challenge that go your way, using all your God-given talents.

Mary Grace Cafes and Kiosks are located in select SM malls in Metro Manila, and is one of over 5,000 partners of SM Supermalls who offer family fun and extraordinary mall-going experiences for all.

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9 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. May 2017/06/09 at 11:11 pm - Reply

    I have a lot of friends who are very fond of Mary Grace. I don’t frequent it but I like the place. Their pasta is the best. 😉

  2. Chessy 2017/06/10 at 12:59 am - Reply

    Oh wow, this just goes to show that you can start a business no matter what age you are. There’s hope for me!! It’s nice to know the story behind our favorite cheese rolls and ensaymada.

  3. dory 2017/06/10 at 2:42 pm - Reply

    Such an inspiring story.. it gives me hope to pursue my plan of establishing a bu3siness

  4. ann valdez 2017/06/11 at 3:04 am - Reply

    Mary grace’s always serving great cakes! Although their cakes are quite pricey, but they give you what you pay for in terms of quality & taste 🙂 would definitely come back here,Always a delight dining at this place!

  5. Maan 2017/06/11 at 5:01 am - Reply

    Wow, I love her words of wisdom! I love how she’s empowering mothers everywhere. I should print those words out and hang them at home! 😀

  6. Yvonne Claire M. Bertoldo 2017/06/11 at 7:12 am - Reply

    I haven’t tried dining at Mary Grace but I got a whole cake last year (totally forgot what flavor). I’ve been seeing every Mary Grace jampacked with customers so I really assume that food is great there. Hope to try it out soon. 🙂

  7. Juvy Ann 2017/06/11 at 9:03 pm - Reply

    I love Mary Grace and are frequent guests at the SM Aura branch. It is our go to place for homestyle cakes and pastries.

  8. Mommy Gracie 2017/06/12 at 2:29 am - Reply

    Wow! Very inspiring! Being a mompreneur takes a lot of sacrifices, but I agree with her, embrace being a mom first. Andaming nagsasabi “cherish this season” madami pang time for business after 🙂

  9. EINz 2017/06/12 at 3:35 am - Reply

    I love the idea of laying down the family foundation first, before anything else. We are planning to put up our second business but really think twice of having it since the kids needs more attention as of this time. I guess, I’ll follow mary grace’s take on this and wait when the kids are a little older.

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