Colores Mexicanos: the success story of a thriving Mexican community in Chicago, Illinois

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How the 1st Mexican cultural store in the Magnificent Mile highlights the economic power of immigrant community during mayoral trip to Mexico City Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/TNS

Hundreds of radiant rebozos and picturesque huipiles, made by Indigenous artisans in rural towns of Mexico, adorn the tall walls of a store on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. Each item tells the story of a family — traditions that are centuries old — and how they got to the Magnificent Mile for the world to admire.

For many years, Erika Espinosa could fit all the merchandise on a small table that she would set up on the sidewalks of different neighborhoods, at festivals and community markets during the summer — even in her backyard. Colores Mexicanos, she said, was not only a business for her and her family, but also a reflection of the significant and thriving Mexican community in Chicago.

The small family business became a part of the Community Marketplace on the Chicago Riverwalk in 2021, getting the initial opportunity to showcase handcrafted items brought to Chicago from various regions of Mexico. Right before Black Friday, with the help of COVID-19 relief funds from the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protections and the Magnificent Mile Association, the family turned an empty storefront in Chicago’s luxurious shopping district into the cultural hub they had always dreamed of.

“And the one our culture and our artisans deserve,” added Espinosa.

The story of Colores Mexicanos was recognized by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her team as an example of the entrepreneurial, economic power and cultural value of immigrants during a recent trip to Mexico City to promote Chicago’s economic progress and reaffirm the sister city relationship that has been in place since 1991.

“To move from a home-based business into the Riverwalk with a small storefront that was only seasonal, to one of the most prominent retail corridors in the world is a testament to the real business vibrancy of Chicago — and a story that is really only possible in Chicago,” said Samir Mayekarv, deputy mayor of economic and neighborhood development, who accompanied the delegation.

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Source: Chicago Tribune

Mexico Daily Post