Mark Walter owns two Salsarita’s Mexican restaurants — one in Fredericksburg and one in Glen Allen — with another scheduled to open in Manassas by Thanksgiving. Walter hails from just outside Philadelphia and lives in Spotsylvania County, where he’s been since 1992. Salsarita’s, founded in 2000, was No. 1 on Restaurant Business’ 2007 list of fastest-growing restaurant chains in America.

How did you get into the business? What did you do before?