Couple launched a burrito spot in a Home Depot parking lot—their two restaurants brought in $2.3 million in sales in 2025

Lydia Holmes and John Clarke started small when they launched their restaurant business – really small. In 2021, the Orange County, California-based couple opened their first restaurant, LJ's Lil' Cafe, in a 200-square-foot shed in a Home Depot parking lot. They also opened a brick-and-mortar location in July 2025. The two restaurants together brought in $2.3 million in sales in 2025, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. …