Family, officials celebrate opening of Taco Chellz, a downtown Johnstown restaurant

Russ O Reilly, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Mar. 3—A set of balloons floated over the three-story, glass-front building at 416 Main St. in downtown Johnstown Tuesday.

They were released by Michelle Haselrig, owner of Taco Chellz, a restaurant on the first floor of the building.

The balloons were in memory of her husband, Carlton Haselrig, "gone but not forgotten," she said.

Haselrig and her family celebrated a belated grand opening of their restaurant, which is filled with memorabilia of Carlton Haselrig, a six-time NCAA wrestling champion and NFL star.

The ceremony was attended by supporters, including county and city government officials.

"It means everything to me," she said after the ceremony.

The ribbon cutting was originally slated to coincide with the business' summer 2020 opening, but was postponed because of the death of her husband.

In addition to the difficulty of carrying on the business without her husband, Michelle Haselrig said COVID-19-related economic turmoil presented challenges over the past eight months since she opened the shop.

She said the pandemic kept people from discovering the restaurant at first, but business is growing.

"It's getting better," she said. "Sales are going up."

COVID-19 has caused the restaurant industry "bad days and worse days," she said with a laugh. "But with the help of family and the city, we kept on."

Haselrig is a certified dietary manager.

If it wasn't for her late husband, she said, the shop wouldn't have been opened.

"Even when I'd go home crying, he'd say, 'This is what you went to school for, do it,' " she said.

The menu includes tacos, chips, salsa, refried beans and rice — and Haselrig said she is rolling out a breakfast menu in the spring.

During the ceremony, Cambria County President Commissioner Tom Chernisky thanked Haselrig for investing in Johnstown and shared some words about Carlton Haselrig.

"He was a champion with the children, a champion for our community, a champion for Greater Johnstown School District," Chernisky said.

"Carlton left a legacy for Johnstown and all the students he mentored. Taco Chellz is part of that legacy and he would be proud of the hard work that Michelle has done to have a positive impact on the community."