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“My mantra I live by is, none of us have won the lottery, we have to work, so let’s make it a place we enjoy.�

You can feel that joy as soon as you step into .

You’re welcomed by the smiling face of Sara Brown, who’s manning the cash register while Davila-Barley is going back and forth between stoves, cooking up plates full of flavorful Mexican food.

From the hypnotizing aroma of fresh salsa that fills the eatery to the vibrant papel picado banners that hang from the ceilings, you can’t help but crack a smile as soon as you step in.

The happiness The Little One and Davila-Barley create is still as strong as ever, even after she announced the closure of the iconic restaurant.

On Monday, Davila-Barley announced that after decades of serving up thousands of meals, The Little One, at , will close its doors on Sept. 19.

“It’s just time for something new,� Davila-Barley said. “I think 40 years is a great family legacy, and I kept the doors open as long as I could, but I’m excited about what’s coming next.�

The history behind The Little One goes back to 1985. Her sister, Suzana Davila, and her father, Luis Davila, opened their first restaurant in a tiny space in downtown Tucson. Suzana eventually went off to start her own restaurant, Café Poca Cosa, in the Santa Rita Hotel.

Luis, along with his other daughters, Marcela and Sandra, continued to serve their customers classic Mexican dishes at their little spot, creating a home away from home for their regular customers.

“I remember my dad dancing in the kitchen and giving people tours of the kitchen,� Davila-Barley said. “There’s always been this thought of, you know, Mexicans only eat chimichangas and enchiladas, so I have very fond memories of my dad going, no, we don’t have any of that, but let me make something for you.�

Café Poca Cosa also continued to thrive, eventually moving to after the Santa Rita Hotel was torn down.

After decades of service, Suzana made the difficult choice of shutting down Café Poca Cosa during the pandemic.

With both her sisters retired from the restaurant business and her parents gone, Davila-Barley was tasked with making sure The Little One continued her family’s legacy.

“This was never my industry,� Davila-Barley said. “I was a preschool teacher and I left my career to come back and help the family. I’ve been doing it for 25 years, if not more, and I love it.�

You could always count on going into The Little One during lunch, walking up to the register and saying: feed me. Without hesitation, Davila-Barley would head into the kitchen and whip up something delicious, bringing you their classic surprise plate, which came with three different lunch items chosen by her.

But things in downtown Tucson have changed drastically since 1985, and Davila-Barley says their beloved corner is now different, making it harder for her to keep the doors open.

“We’ve always prided ourselves in just being open for lunch,� Davila-Barley said. “I only hire grandmothers and mothers so they can get their kids ready for school in the morning, then come in and work until early lunch and then we all go home to put dinner on our family’s table. I just don’t think that the idea of a lunchtime place really works anymore.�

With more and more challenges arising, Davila-Barley made the tough decision to close The Little One, announcing the closure on the restaurant’s Instagram page.

Though the news broke hearts in the community, the spirits of Davila-Barley and the workers continue to be as joyful as ever.

“We’re getting ready to say goodbye to each other but we’re still laughing and joking,� Davila-Barley said.

On Tuesday morning, The Little One was full of dedicated patrons buying t-shirts, taking pictures of the colorful murals on the wall and repeatedly asking Brown why they were closing. A group of customers raved about their meals to Brown as she stopped by to check in on them.

“People come in, not just for the food, but they come in because they want to feel the love,� Brown said. “They’ve been telling us, you’ve touched our lives. She’s had a huge impact,� she said of Marcela.

While Davila-Barley may be leaving the restaurant scene, she’s not leaving the community. She is starting a new venture, , where she will teach people various life skills, including cooking, cleaning and organizing, kind of like a home ec class.

“I think one of the things that made The Little One special was the ambiance. People have lost the art of inviting people to their home,� Davila-Barley said. “It is healing to share a meal with somebody, it is healing to invite people into your home and fix your space. That’s my dream, to go in and bring that feeling of hope to everyone’s home.�

Though the end for The Little One is near, those walking through downtown Tucson will still stop and point at the little spot on Stone Avenue, remembering the decades of memories, smiles and good food that were shared there.

The Little One is open until Sept. 19, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is currently accepting cash only.