Page 153 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2024

presented by South Mississippi Living magazine
Lilian Perez, Owner
One of Lilian Perez’s favorite things to do is run the Ocean Springs bridge while the sunset is putting on a show. It’s really special to her. But while at work in her family’s business, Pepe’s Bosque Mexican Restaurant, her favorite things are interacting with guests, many of whom she considers family, and the ability to change someone’s day by providing friendly and warm service and freshly prepared comfort food.
The restaurant business runs in her family so it was natural for that to be her career choice. “I closely watched my uncles and my parents for years and picked up a lot of knowledge and a love for the business,” she says.
Perez says COVID was humbling for her. “I never assumed I knew everything, but I thought I had earned a few stripes throughout the years. There was so much to navigate blindly and difficult decisions to make. The most weighing part was the pressure of making sure I was making the right decisions for my entire team and for our community.”
With the birth of her son, Shawn Miguel, Perez was responsible for someone who made the stressful days worth it. “I thought I had drive and a desire to succeed when I was younger. It wasn’t until I became a mother that I realized I had been missing purpose. My son gave me a clear vision of what I wanted my life to look like.”
She praises the way the Coast has embraced the business. “We have received many coveted local awards. To me, that speaks of the relationships we have with our customers.”
A surprising thing about Perez is that she loves training in martial arts with boxing her favorite. But she has a few others she’d like to explore.
10027 Central Ave., D’Iberville 228.396.0044 pepesbosque@outlook.com
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net September 2024 | 153