Latino nonprofits are opening their own stores to help small businesses grow, and one of them is in downtown Phoenix, the Associated Press reported.
Amor Collective sells merchandise made entirely by Latinas, such as concha bread earrings and Día de Muertos candles. It opened in downtown Phoenix in August after four years in Peoria, according to the AP.
Founder Stephanie Vasquez moved the shop next to her coffeehouse despite higher rent. “I will say that the Latino community truly supports us,” she said of the grand opening.
Vasquez founded the nonprofit Empowering Latina Leaders in Arizona, or ELLA, a decade ago and started monthly pop-up markets before opening the store. She calls it an incubator where owners can lower their risk. More than 35 entrepreneurs have signed one-year leases.
In San Francisco’s Mission District, the nonprofit Mission Lotería opened a storefront after seven years of promoting local businesses. “High risk, high reward,” founder Luis Quiroz said.
The AP reported that the shops face rising costs and fears around immigration enforcement, but organizers say they are offering advice and resources along with shelf space.
Sources: KTAR News/AP. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
