Rojo throws birthday party to celebrate 15 years

In 2002, when Laney DeJonge and Clark Lopez founded Rojo, a bar and restaurant in Highland Park serving Latin and American food, DeJonge had no desire to start a chain.

She said she wanted the new restaurant to become part of the community and a unique Birmingham place.

That’s what she and Lopez, along with their dedicated staff and loyal regulars, have created at Rojo, which celebrates its 15th birthday June 15 at 5 p.m.

The celebration is based on the quinceañera birthday parties thrown for 15-year-old girls in Latin cultures. The party will feature a photo booth, tiered cake, candle lighting and live Mexican music, according to DeJonge. The Legendary Pineapple Skinners will play on the patio, as they do each year on Rojo’s birthday.

“Rojo is a girl that is now 15 years old,” DeJonge said, laughing. 

“She deserves a birthday party,” Lopez said.

Lopez said the event also will give him “a sense of fulfillment that the community has accepted us,” and he looks forward to seeing “the faces of everyone who support us.”

There will also be pride at making it this far. 

“Fifteen years in any job is an accomplishment; 15 years in the restaurant business is impressive,” Lopez said.

However, when Rojo began, DeJonge said she never thought about failure. She just wanted to create the kind of place she thought Birmingham lacked.

“There weren’t very many Mexican restaurants in town [or] places that were inexpensive and had a patio where you could get an alcoholic drink,” DeJonge said.

She and Lopez — who attended high school in Dothan with DeJonge’s husband, Troy Thompson —  made a good team. 

Lopez had extensive restaurant experience, having managed or opened La Paz restaurants in Birmingham, Atlanta and Nashville.

DeJonge, who had an accounting degree from Birmingham-Southern College, also had some service-industry experience and said she always wanted to open a bar.

In addition, they shared a lot of the same vision and goals as far as decor, menu and the way things should work, Lopez said.

They both credit what DeJonge calls their great staff as a factor in Rojo’s success.

Lopez also said they have taken community feedback, and Rojo is well-known for its fundraisers, art exhibits, comedy shows, trivia nights and other events.

The restaurant’s location in laid-back Highland Park helps nurture its unique atmosphere.

“I love our neighborhood,” DeJonge said. “There are all different types of people — all races, ages. I feel like everybody gets along.”