June 7, 2024 • 53 mins
In this episode, we chat with Coco and Jessica at Enriquez Creations in Niles, where we learn how a hobby blossomed into a thriving family business. Including the name "El Puesto" in honor of Coco's grandfather, the shop's journey is a testament to the importance of adapting to community needs. From adjusting store hours to meet local business trends to sharing stories of cultural connections, Coco and Jessica's testament paints a vivid picture of personal passion and community enrichment.
We hear from them of their imports from Mexico, emphasizing the personal connections and cultural significance of handmade goods. Hear touching stories of supporting street vendors and the meaningful traditions behind items like Oaxaca's alebrijes. Alongside tales of navigating the balance between storefront operations and local fairs, this episode celebrates the joy of cultural appreciation and the resilient spirit of family-run businesses.
If you would like to contact The Fremont Podcast, please text us here.
Petrocelli Homes has been a key sponsor of The Fremont Podcast from the beginning. If you are looking for a realtor, get in touch with Petrocelli Homes on Niles Blvd in Fremont.
Haller's Pharmacy is here to help. They have been in our community for decades.
Founder: Ricky B.
Intro and outro voice-overs made by Gary Williams.
Editor: Andrew Cavette.
Scheduling and pre-interviews by the amazing virtual assistant that you ought to hire, seriously, she's great: your.virtual.ace
This is a Muggins Media Podcast.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
It would be safe to say that most of the stuff in
this store is from people whoare working out of their homes.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Easy and it's really interesting and it's a whole new
experience.
You know, growing up I went toMexico.
It was just you know.
Oh, we're going to visit family, it's for fun, you know, but if
it wasn't for this job, Iwouldn't have been able to
experience Mexico the way I'mexperiencing it now.
And so being able to go intothese homes, talk to the
families that are working,because it's not always just
like adults that are working,it's like anywhere from, like
(00:31):
you know, ages 18, 15, 16, youknow, trying to support their
parents at home.
So it's like all these familiesyou know that are working and
it's really cool to see just howeverything is created and
everything's by hand.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Coming to you straight from Fremont,
California.
This is the Fremont Podcast,dedicated to telling the stories
of the past and present, of thepeople and places of the city
(01:06):
of Fremont, one conversation ata time.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
I'm in a shopping center across the street from
Ohlone College to talk aboutbuilding space around community.
This is the shopping centerwith the Mission San Jose post
office in it and somerestaurants.
The reason I'm here is notreally the restaurants, although
(01:32):
it is.
It's the tables that I'msitting at.
Right now they blocked off asection of the parking lot that
nobody was really using anywayand they put out tables, and
this was a while ago and it'svery popular.
People can go to all thedifferent restaurants that are
here and it's quiet and it'ssafe and the street that goes
(01:55):
past here is also pretty quiet.
Anza, we're right across thestreet from a local history
museum.
There are a few bike racks here.
There's an alleyway that goespast a preschool.
I mentioned restaurants andthere are some and there are
more coming.
I'm sitting next to a smallbuilding that's being renovated
(02:17):
and it's going to be a boba teaplace and a burger shop.
So the restaurants are popularand there will be more of them
soon.
But the thing that dominatesthe mission area are these
after-school education centersand, for what it's worth, a
place where kids can learn KungFu.
My point with bringing that upis that at some point during the
(02:41):
afternoon, the kids are doneand, with this space, the ones
who are a little older cansafely and organically hang out
here.
If you're interested in gettinginto the academics of it, this
is a third place, but this isn'tmuch.
This is just some tables in theend of a parking lot.
(03:07):
This podcast is about thecommunity found in a place Well,
fremont and so I think everyonce in a while, we should talk
about how to build community ina space, and places like this
are how you do it.
I'm going to get up and walk.
(03:31):
Ultimately, this place is notimpressive.
It didn't take much to makethis work.
It's a relatively quiet street,relatively free of cars, right
next to a bus stop, some tablesthat basically equal public
space.
It's not public space, but it'sclose, surrounded by some
(03:52):
things that people like to do.
It's not perfect, but theytotally did it.
It totally works.
It's lovely.
It is not particularlydifficult to create human-scale
spaces where chance encounterscan occur and people can feel
good about being there.
(04:12):
You are listening to episode121 of the Fremont Podcast.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Now here's your host, Ricky B.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I didn't say this at the beginning, so I'm going to
say it now.
We're at Enrique's.
Speaker 6 (04:29):
Creations, creations, el Puesto, el Puesto.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
What's that?
The Post, the Post Okay.
The Shop the Shop Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
We named it like that in honor of my grandpa, because
whenever we were in Mexico,we'd say oh, we're going to the
Puesto, and that meant we'regoing to his shop.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Oh, that's cool.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
So that was a little Wow.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
So Enrique's Creations in Puesto.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
And down in Niles, right next to Devout Coffee.
Speaker 6 (04:54):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
And across from what's now the Lego Shop.
You're not open Mondays, right?
So what days of the week areyou guys normally open?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Wednesday to Sunday Wednesday to Saturday 10 to 5
and Sunday 10 to 4 okay yeah,cuz I, when we first started and
we we opened up on Monday wasthe first day.
We're all excited.
We're like, alright, there'sgonna be a lot of people in town
, literally ghost town we didn't, we didn't realize that nobody
is open on.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Monday's and Tuesday's even.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Some people aren't even open on Mondays and
Tuesdays.
Um, even some people aren'teven open on Wednesdays, and so
we were like, okay, so we'regoing to have to adjust our
hours.
And then it was just, you know,one of those things where you
got to learn once.
Speaker 6 (05:33):
But to find out that they didn't open Mondays and
Tuesdays.
We walked down to seeeverybody's hours and that's how
we knew they were closedMondays and Tuesdays, so we
thought okay, we're going toclosed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
So we thought, okay, we're going to close Mondays and
Tuesdays as well.
There you go.
Speaker 6 (05:47):
There you go, that's your new weekend.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Right, yeah, yeah, okay, and I feel horrible.
What was your first name?
Speaker 6 (05:53):
Okay, everybody calls me Coco, because that is short
for Socorro.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Okay, socorro.
Speaker 6 (05:58):
Socorro is a very hard name to yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Gotta roll the R's Coco I was like I know it's
funny because when I first metyou guys because I remember you
guys painting that location verybeginning I came in and your
son's name is Javier as wellright, so there's two Javiers.
Speaker 6 (06:14):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
And so I remember coming in and I remember Javier,
and then, as I've gotten toknow you, I remember Jessica,
but I was like I just don'tremember what your name was.
So it's Socorro.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Socorro, socorro.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Okay, and people call you Coco, coco, awesome, very
good.
Well, this is cool.
I love this, I love this spaceand I love what you guys have
done with it.
I think that your store, yourshop, is kind of like the most
unique and yet unpredictableshop here in Niles.
Speaker 6 (06:48):
Right.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
And I mean you're laughing, because I think you
might feel the same.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
We know we definitely feel the same.
I mean, when we first started,it was mainly focused on wine
barrel work, right.
Because that's kind of how thestore got started.
That's a whole other story.
Well, no, we need to tell thatstory.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So let's talk about that.
So yeah, so you guys started.
So I and I remember thatbecause when you guys first
moved in, you were explainingwhat it was that you were doing
and then you started bringing inyour product.
So where did the wine barrel?
Uh, furniture, or where didthat?
How did that start?
What?
Where was that?
Speaker 6 (07:21):
So what happened was a year before COVID started.
My husband had retired and hishobby was making furniture
anything you can think of out ofwine barrels.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (07:34):
So then COVID happened, and so then we were
all stuck at home and he wasmaking more stuff right.
And then when they finallyopened up, like in June no, May
it was- May Okay.
We decided to come get lunchhere because you were able to
buy just not go inside Right andso when we walked by and we saw
that it was vacant, this endspot was available Right and so
(07:57):
then my son and my daughterstarted saying oh, call dad,
call dad, you know, maybe hemight want it and he can start a
business.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Was this a conversation you've been having
for a while, like actually?
Speaker 6 (08:10):
having a business doing this.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Okay, that's all right.
Um, but yeah, basically whathappened was that, growing up,
my dad has always said oh, Iwant to have a puesto which is a
shop.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Um.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I want to have a puesto um sometime in my life,
just like my dad and so mygrandpa.
He had a puesto in Mexico.
My dad was born and raised inMexico, and so he just always
had that dream following hisdad's footsteps Retired.
It was like my mom was sayinghe was doing the wine barrel
work.
We were actually selling halfbarrels and furniture out of
(08:42):
wine barrels.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
I have like four of them in the backyard.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
We started selling that.
My dad started doing thatbecause of his retirement.
He wanted something new.
He's one of those guys that hehas to always be moving, be
doing something.
He has to be stimulating hisbrain all the time, which is
great you know yeah um, but yeah, I got to a point where he was
just kind of like oh you know,wouldn't it be cool if we were
able to like have like winebarrels sold and the furniture
sold?
And then that's when like whenwe were together and that's when
(09:08):
that story happened we shouldcall dad.
And we literally called him andwe told him that it was vacant
and he literally came down andcame to look through the windows
and, like it just took off fromthere.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
That's awesome, yeah, so I mean, in some sense, that
had to, to have been like thatwas in his head, even though and
obviously part of aconversation that you just said,
but when that happened it waslike this is the moment.
Speaker 6 (09:31):
Right, right right.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
And I think that COVID probably, like you said,
covid would like.
I don't know when you get stuckat home you're and your stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
What am I doing all this for?
Why am I making all this stuff,or whatever it is?
What could come out of this?
A?
Lot of people during that timewas really tapping into their
creative outlets because you hadto think of something to do.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
So when did he start making wine?
What was the connection withthat?
Because he did workconstruction.
And at what point did he startmessing around with wine barrels
and making furniture out ofthem?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Well, I feel like he's always built things.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
But wine barrel specific.
I don't think that startedhappening.
I don't even know how ithappened actually.
To be honest, yeah, I don'teither.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
Okay, oh, you know what, one day he just made a dog
bit out of it, Right, yeah.
Oh and then from there.
That's when it took off.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
That's cool it like triggered him in his head like I
can build more.
But yeah, I mean he's alwaysbeen building stuff.
I mean he built the house thatmy parents live in now.
He built it the addition.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
The addition.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Well, my son Javier helped a lot, but he did it all
Our family helped a lot, yeah,but he's just always been
building things in the winebarrel.
It just kind of was hand inhand.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
That's amazing.
That's amazing.
So, um so he he's.
He built furniture when thisspace became available you guys
jumped on it and um were able toget moved in and I know, like I
said, I came in here um whenyou guys were just painting
originally trying to figure outwhat, what all was.
I think part of the reason I ifI remember correctly, it's been
(11:11):
a while, um, but I think Iremember thinking I loved this
end shop as well, and I don'tknow what I would ever wanted to
do with it because I don't haveanything to put in it.
But I think I remember thinking, oh, that'd be a cool shop.
And then when I saw you guysworking, it was like, oh,
someone moved in.
I wonder what they're doing.
And then I came down here andyou guys were you guys were and
it was going well.
Speaker 6 (11:31):
It really was.
But then I started noticingthat people were coming in and
wanted to buy little knickknacksand I kept telling my husband
we need something else.
I think we need something else,because you know the furniture
was nice.
But for some people who justwant to spend, you know $20, it
(11:52):
was hard.
Well, I remember.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
I'm kind of that way too, because I love your
furniture.
I mean, I bought wine barrelsfrom you.
I think we probably bought.
I know that some of the piecesthat you have in here, like
we'll talk about that in aminute but some of the stuff
that you have in here, likewe'll talk about that in a
minute but some of the stuffthat you've had imported, that
you've imported up here to besold here, I bought.
Like a friend of mine is fromhis parents, are from Mexico and
he had a graduation party and Ibought him a whole set from you
(12:15):
guys.
And so I know I bought stufffrom you before and I still have
my eyes on some of thefurniture in there, the
furniture in there.
But, um, but I think for me,like I remember one of the first
times when I moved here toCalifornia, I went to Monterey
and I went to some of the artgalleries that are in Monterey
and it's like I'm never going toafford any of these big pieces
at this point.
But then they had some of thesesmall paintings that were just
(12:37):
like really small, you know,like I don't know like postcard
size, and I was like I canafford that though.
And I was like I can afford that, though, and I can at least
take that home, and even thoughit's not, you know, one of these
big ones, I can still, you know, enjoy purchasing this piece
that has been hand painted, andI can have it in my home as a,
as a, and so I think that Ithink that's it too.
Some people, no doubt, love thework that you guys have and what
(13:00):
you know, what you sell, butsometimes it's just not
realistic or it's just like whatyou know, where exactly am I
going to put this in my home, orwhatever.
So having the small knickknacksis certainly a great idea, so
you started seeing that when youneeded smaller things, yes and
when.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Another thing, too, is that he couldn't keep up with
the orders oh it was just himhimself.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I wasn't part of the, I wasn't part of this, yet at
that moment I was still workingat my uh at the youth center
that I was working previously.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
I mean, sometimes it was just them two it was like 10
o'clock at night and at homeand he was still working oh, my
word he couldn't keep up withthe order.
So then we started thinkingwhat else can we do, because he
wanted to continue with thestore retail right, and so then
I said well, what if we bringlittle stuff from Mexico?
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
He started looking into it, and that's how the
other stores started.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
That's awesome.
So just I want to go back alittle bit.
Your father-in-law had a shopin Mexico.
What kind of shop was that?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
It was like what like oh my gosh Home Goods yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
It was all for Home Goods, all kinds of things you
know you need for your kitchen,your you know cooking.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
And my grandpa especially my grandma had a big
love for birds, so he always hadbird cages, that's cool.
Speaker 5 (14:15):
So that's why we have bird cages.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
We'll be right back.
You can hear the rest of thisconversation in just a moment.
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You can find them at 44141Fremont Boulevard in Fremont.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
The Ohlone College flea market is happening every
second Saturday of the monthfrom 9 am to 3 pm on Ohlone's
Fremont campus.
Can I ask you, what are youhoping to find today?
Speaker 6 (15:20):
It's just interesting to see what's out there, and
you never know what you'll findTreasures?
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Hey Van, if people want to contact you, how do they
get in touch?
Speaker 3 (15:38):
want to contact you.
How do they get in touch?
So our phone number is510-659-6285 and the email is
fleemarket at aloniedu.
More information can be foundat aloniedu slash flea dash
market.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Fremont Bank has been around for 60 years and they
sponsor a lot of stuff.
And now included on the list ofthings they sponsor is this
podcast.
Thank you, Fremont Bank.
If you are looking for a bookand you know exactly what it is,
that's great.
If you don't know exactly whatyou want, but you have an idea
(16:13):
of the type of thing that youwant, you're not going to be
helped well by shopping online.
Go to Banter Bookshop, tellthem vaguely what you're after
and they will help you find abook.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
And now, back to our conversation.
So I've been to Mexico.
Once my sister lived nearMcAllen over close to the Gulf
of Mexico, like down on thatside, and so I remember walking
across the border into Mexicoand into the place there.
(16:49):
So I guess what I'm wonderingis where the shop was, Because
there was a lot of cool shopswhen I walked across into the
border but I think it was kindof fed off of tourism.
Was the shop that?
Your father that yourfather-in-law had?
Was it more for tourists thatwere coming from?
Speaker 6 (17:06):
or was it deep into?
It was deep, it's like abouthour and a half, two hours away
from Guadalajara where they'refrom.
Okay.
Wow the name of the town isZarandas.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
And it was more like for people who needed a pot or a
pan or you know dishes.
That type of store Wow, it'snot really a touristy area.
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
The only time there's quote, unquote tourists is like
for the fiestas.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Okay, so when they have like something specific.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
They're Um, that's when people come from all parts
of Mexico, even out of state butbut their town is well known
for the tequila yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Oh, very nice, Very nice.
So the cool.
The cool thing is, though, thatyou um like when, when people
hear imported goods, like theywork with a middleman or
somebody that does this, but youdon't, I mean, you go and get
the stuff yourself, right.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
We go and handpick everything that's in the store
and then we have a company whobrings it to us.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
And we try to work with people who not like big
factories, people who areworking out of their homes.
Wow, yeah, yeah, wow.
So can you?
Would it be safe to say thatmost of the stuff in this store
is from people who are workingout of their homes?
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Yeah, Easy and it's it's really interesting and it's
it's a whole new experience.
You know, growing up I went toMexico.
It was, you know.
Oh, we're going to visit family, it's for fun you know, but if
it wasn't for this job, Iwouldn't have been able to
experience Mexico the way I'mexperiencing it now, and so
being able to go into thesehomes, talk to the families that
that are working, because it'snot always just like adults that
(18:33):
are working, it's like anywherefrom, like you know, ages 18,
15, 16 you know, trying tosupport their, their parents, at
home.
So it's like all these familiesyou know that are working and
it's really cool to see just howeverything is created and
everything's by hand.
And it's like that's whenpeople come and they're shopping
, you know, sometimes people say, oh, like, can I get two the
same?
Like you're never going to findtwo of the same because there's
(18:55):
multiple artists working on.
You know, if they're working oncats, all cats are going to be
different.
They're not going to have thesame.
They're all having differentstyles, different techniques,
all that.
Speaker 6 (19:04):
So, even like the dolls or the key chains that we
have, it's from ladies that aresitting on the sidewalk.
Oh, these dolls right here.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
They're sitting on the sidewalk working on them.
Speaker 6 (19:15):
Yeah, yeah.
And so, if you know, I likethem, so I say, okay, I want
them all and I bring them.
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
But it's great, because then they just get to go
home because there was the ladythat my mom's talking about.
So the backstory is that oneyear we went to go have fun at
the fiestas and, uh, there was alady working on them and she
was.
She only had a few out at themoment and we went, you know, we
enjoyed our night, came backshe was still there.
She had a bunch at that pointyou know, from her working on
(19:44):
them and so we took them on.
So we got to talk to her andshe's like oh, like you know,
thank you, like bless you guys,because now I get to go home.
She traveled.
Where did she travel?
She travel from Oaxaca, oaxaca.
So she, she and we, and we werelike, oh, like, where are you
staying?
She goes, oh, no, I'm juststaying in like the park, and
she's like and then I'm going totake a bus back.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
So like we were like able to like be like, okay, well
, let's support you.
And how long the bus ride is,but I know from guadalajara to
oaxaca it's like an hour 45minutes oh my word wow.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
So she traveled from home, she from an airplane hour
45 minutes, so I don't know howlong the bus ride was.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Oh, my word, so so she.
She made all these dolls yeahand then she decided I'm gonna
go to this place for take thebest chance that I can to get
well, because you know therewere gonna be a lot of people
that day cause of the fiestas.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
It was during the fiestas time, so she knew.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
okay, there's going to be a lot of people in town.
Let me go and yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Wow, that's amazing.
Yeah, so these dolls very cooland then, uh, that are uniquely
significant, either to likepersonal stories like that, or
um, or even like connecteddirectly to like Mexican culture
, because, uh, like, for me, Ijust look at it, I'm like dude,
(21:01):
this is, this is really reallycool, like I feel like I step
into a shop in Mexico eventhough you know, but I wouldn't
know the significance of, uh, ofa lot of these things.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I think a popular item and an item that people
come in and really love to seeare the alebrijes.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
The alebrijes come from Oaxaca as well, and they're
from another family we'reworking with, and so, like the
teenagers, make the smaller ones, they're hand-carved,
hand-painted, and then theadults are making the more
larger, intricate pieces.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
But those, I mean those have been around for years
and again it was a family whowas at the park selling their
stuff.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (21:42):
My husband liked what he saw.
He bought from them, and thenthat's how we met them.
Wow, and they also are fromOaxaca Wow.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
That's amazing yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
So it's like interesting, because I feel like
there are pieces in here likethat will say oh you know, this
is from Oaxaca, this is fromGuadalajara, michoacan, all
these places right, but we'veonly been to a few.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Right.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
It's just been coincidence that some of them
have been in my dad's hometown.
We actually haven't been to allthe places where some of our
things are from.
Speaker 6 (22:12):
The alebrijes are for the spirit guides.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
Yeah, if you've ever seen the movie Coco, yes, yeah,
it's exactly what I grew upknowing.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Okay, when I see the movie.
So they named the movie afteryou, right?
Speaker 6 (22:27):
But everything that they explain in the movie.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
That's exactly what they did.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
That's how you grew up.
Yeah Lane in the movie Uh-huh,that's exactly what he did.
That's how you grew up.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Yes, they did their research.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
They did a really good job.
They did a good job atdepicting that.
That's cool yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
I think that when you see movies like that come out,
especially if it's from yourculture or your background, I'm
sure it's like I don't want tobe embarrassed or I don't want
to be like, no, that's familiar,they did a great job.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
That's cool, so that's how you grew up.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
How long did you live in Mexico then, before you
moved to the?
Speaker 6 (22:56):
United States.
Actually, I was born here.
Oh, you were, I was born here.
My parents were born in Mexico.
Oh, okay, but I went as alittle girl every year.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (23:04):
Every year it went from a month to three months.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Yeah, my dad.
My dad was the one that wasborn and raised in Mexico.
He came to the US when he was16?
15.
15.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:21):
Wow.
So I am in the WashingtonTownship Museum of Local History
on Anza Street in the MissionSan Jose area and I just donated
something and it occurs to me Iwant to encourage people who
have Fremont history to at leastattempt to donate it to the
museum.
So this is how you do that.
The process of donating is veryeasy.
(23:44):
It's going to take more time torecord this ad than it took me
a moment ago to donate the thingI was donating.
Speaker 7 (23:53):
A lot of people are cleaning house these days you
know downsizing and so we do getsome donations from people who
say I've been cleaning out mycloset, found my old yearbooks
from Horner or Mission High orsomething.
Those we're happy to get,because we don't have all of
those.
We can't guarantee that we'regoing to add it to our
(24:13):
collection, because sometimes wehave a duplicate or it doesn't
quite fit in or it's maybe alittle bit damaged and we can't
make it look good.
But if you're willing to giveit to us ready to get rid of it,
and otherwise it's going to goin your trash, can we're happy
to take a look at it.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
We're happy to take a look at it.
So when people have somethingand they show up, what do they
have to do once they're here inorder for them to officially
donate something?
Speaker 7 (24:42):
Okay.
So we want to explain a littlebit to them about what we're
doing and why we choose or notchoose something, something.
If they're willing to go withthat route, we give them a form,
very simple form.
Just gives your name andaddress, what the object is, and
then we sign it and we givethem a copy.
(25:03):
We keep a copy.
That's all the paperwork weneed to do.
Speaker 5 (25:06):
A moment ago.
I just did it.
It was very easy.
Speaker 7 (25:09):
Good, we're interested in a lot of different
things, not just the things younormally think about in a
museum, but we want some thingsthat remind people of how people
lived, maybe now, because in 20years or 30 years now is going
to be history, so maybesomething that has some meaning
here.
We're not going to become anantique store, but we do need
(25:30):
some of the tangible things thatwill remind people of how
things work, and we also aretrying to get a more
representative distribution ofthings that are in our community
.
So again, now our communitylooks a lot different than it
did 50 years ago when Fremontbecame a city.
So we're looking for that.
We're looking ahead for thattoo.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
That's really cool.
What kind of customers do youhave that come in here?
I'm just thinking.
I know that there's a Latinocommunity all around and not all
of them are from Mexico, fromit, maybe, as I will say this
(26:17):
way, maybe as foreign to them,as like as far as the culture of
all of this maybe as foreign tothem as it is to me, but, um, I
still find this extremelyinteresting, like I find these
things to be really beautiful,um, very fascinating.
So what kind of customers do youhave that you see coming in?
Speaker 6 (26:31):
here we have people from all over the world.
Okay, really, yeah, in here.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Yes, we have had some interesting conversations with
people that come in.
I mean, just this past weekendthis family came in um and they
were going to take their stuffback to india yes and they were
like oh, can you package it?
Well, because we're going totake it back.
And we're like oh, where areyou taking it back?
They're like india.
We've had people come in fromaustralia, from canada, I mean
germany germany like there's, soit's so versatile and I think
(26:59):
that's the one thing that Ireally like about this job is
that you never know who's goingto come in and then a lot of the
indian ladies tell me thateverything in here is very
similar to what's in indiainteresting.
Like the.
The patterns are similar.
Speaker 6 (27:12):
The dolls that we have over there the clay dolls
they buy those because I'm notsure exactly what it is they're
celebrating.
But they also make an altarwith dolls.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Oh, I forgot what it was called.
Oh, that's interesting.
Speaker 6 (27:25):
And they come in and buy those dolls.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Wow, because they're very similar.
Huh.
So if I were to go to Mexicoand I were to go to one of these
, you know non-touristy towns orwhatever, would I see a lot of
these sorts of things around, orare these kind of like more an
art form that certaincommunities?
(27:50):
that create and what's theinspiration behind them,
creating them?
If it's not something that'scommonly seen like, what is it
that makes people?
Because so much of it?
I mean, it seems to me, itseems like there's such a
continuity between all of thesethings like I look at it and I
think they fit some.
These all fit together.
It's not like this looks verydifferent from this and I mean
(28:12):
there's some things.
I mean there's some things likethese have more of like a I
don't know, like more a toneddown design to them and texture,
but then you've got some thatare just super colorful, right
right right, like what is itthat really inspires people to
make the different things thatthey make?
Because it does feel like it's.
I mean, it does come out of acertain culture, I guess.
Speaker 6 (28:36):
I mean you do see a lot in their homes, you do see
the pots for the plants andstuff, but honestly I'm not even
sure, I just know.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
I look at this frog too.
This frog is like super cool,like there's different.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
I mean like, for example.
There are some patterns Like,for example, these Dia de los
Muertos-inspired figurines.
There's some art patterns anddesigns on there that are
significant to that.
Speaker 6 (29:03):
Yes from the.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Huichol people.
Yeah, so I mean there arecertain patterns that are for
different.
You know tribes in Mexico PeroI don't know.
I feel like some of thepatterns all are shared in a
sense.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Like, if you like, I've heard people say, oh, I've
seen this in this town or thistown, and it's like we're all
kind of sharing and thriving offof one another.
So some patterns on some of thepottery are not really.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
There's not really any significance to them, it's
just to make them look beautiful.
Right you know when it comesfrom Puebla.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (29:35):
Because of the style, the color.
It has more 3D-ish compared tothe other states.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Okay, Jessica, I want to ask you a little bit.
I know you said something aboutthis already and I know, coco,
you didn't grow up, I mean, youwere born here, but you went
back and visited a lot back andvisited a lot like um, how has
you said that this has helped?
You kind of like um rediscover,I guess, the culture, your
family, culture and stuff likethat, like what are some of the
(30:03):
things that specifically, um,you've been able to experience
since all of this started tohappen?
Speaker 2 (30:08):
that's really helped you experience that more well,
even just for example, earlier Iwas telling you how I do bead
work.
So even that, like you know,growing up I collected, you know
, a necklace here, a necklacethere, bracelet here, basically
there, but I never really paidmind to like the work that goes
into it or any any like you knowspecifics, so that I just saw
it looked pretty and I bought it.
(30:29):
But as I got older and I started, you know, really tapping into
my artistic um journey, I was,like you know, I, I think I want
to, you know, tap into beading,like I want to learn more about
it.
You know we go to Mexico, wealways see people working, but
like I want to talk to thesepeople, get to know them, see
how long they've been beadingthings like that, and so I think
(30:50):
having that be a part of ourjourney as a business and my
journey as an artist has, likebeen great.
It ties into one and you know,and even me, like when I'm
beating, it's like I appreciatethe art form even more so
because I've seen ladies andtalked to ladies that are
beating in their like 70s andand they're fast, they're not
(31:11):
like just taking, no, they're,this is their livelihood.
They've been doing it for years, and so you you know, just
being able to see this otherside of Mexico, that I didn't
really appreciate or acknowledgeas much as growing up.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
You know it's, it's been, it's been amazing that's
awesome yeah, you know what Ithink is funny okay everybody
this I've been going to Mexicoall my life, but only to, not my
married life, only to myhusband's side okay when I was a
little girl, I was going to myparents side, which is the
little ranch in guanajuato.
It took having a store likethis to go to different states
(31:44):
in mexico and get to seedifferent things.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Wow, yeah, because we would have never experienced
any of that if we never had ashop, which is crazy.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
Because I think, yeah , yeah, I was gonna say, I think
, when you go in with differenteyes as well, like when you are
looking for, like when you'rejust going back to visit family,
like a lot of times you're justlike I know I'm very familiar
with, like for me.
So, in a similar sense, mygrandparents had a dairy farm in
Michigan and so, growing up,each summer my parents would
(32:14):
send me to my grandparents' farmto work on the farm throughout
the summer, and so when I, forme, going to Michigan seemed to
be like like I had really reallygood experiences, really a
particular idea in mind, butwhere they were in the state of
Michigan, uh, was on theopposite side of the state from
(32:35):
Detroit.
So a lot of times people thinkof Michigan, they think of
Detroit, they think of all thethings associated with Detroit.
Well, my grandparents were onthe completely other side.
They were in a farmingcommunity and I spent a lot of
times working, baling hay,milking cows, taking care of
chickens and goats and pigs andstuff like that.
(32:57):
It's a very differentexperience than the rest of
Michigan.
But then when you starttraveling, if you go in with a
different perspective like I'mno longer going there to spend
time on my grandparents' farm,I'm going to go there to do
something else All of a suddenyou're like whoa I remember
going to Lansing a couple yearsago and just thinking, seeing
the Capitol, you know, a coupleof years ago and just thinking
seeing the Capitol is like Ijust never thought there.
(33:19):
I've never like paid attentionto, like the Capitol of the of
the state you know or, and Ihave been to Detroit a lot.
But I think, like I'm gettingready to go to Michigan in a few
weeks my sister-in-law andfamily lives in Detroit area and
I'm like they want to show usall the stuff in Detroit and I'm
like, well, I've driven throughDetroit before but I know that
when I go they're going to showme things that I've never seen
(33:40):
that I did not know, and it'sgoing to give me a whole
different perspective of whatMichigan is.
Like you know, because there's,you know, there's definitely the
negative side that people thinkof when it comes to Detroit,
but there's obviously going tobe some beautiful things and
incredible things in just insimilar way.
I can see how that would beeyeopening for you in Mexico as
well.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
Yeah, and I feel like that's one of the things too.
That kind of ties in too isthat you know people think, oh,
mexico is dangerous.
So you know they hear the badthings.
And don't get me wrong there's,there are bad things and you
have to watch your back and youknow and be mindful of what's
going on around you, but I meanwith even all that, there are
places that you can go and enjoyand see the beauty and enrich
(34:24):
the culture.
everything you just have to beaware of your surroundings, but
that's everywhere.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
I was going to say that's everywhere.
I hear that here.
People are like San Franciscois horrible.
It's such a mess.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
I'm like have you ever been?
Speaker 1 (34:33):
there.
Speaker 6 (34:34):
Right, right, I mean like yes there are certain parts
of San Francisco you probablywant to you know, avoid but
there, it's still such abeautiful city you know, and
it's the same thing with Mexicothere's just places that you
know you shouldn't be.
Yeah, that's right, that'sright.
Same here.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Yeah, that's exactly right that's exactly right yeah,
so that's, that's really cool.
I love hearing that and I lovethat you're bringing part of
Mexico to us as well and wedon't get to experience
everything that you get toexperience.
But I do think that this is awonderful, very important part
(35:11):
of Niles.
I think that this shop is justreally really a wonderful
addition to what we have here.
Speaker 6 (35:17):
Thank you, we appreciate it honestly.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Do you feel like when Javier first imagined having a
shop, when you guys startedtalking about this years ago, do
you feel like that dream?
I'm sure you have moreaspirations and more things that
you want to do, but do you feellike that dream or that vision
of what it could be is comingtrue, Like?
Do you feel like this is this,is really it or do you really
(35:43):
really do yes?
Yeah, is there anything?
What?
What is the vision like beyondhere?
Because I feel like you guysare just, you guys work it Like
I mean it started off over overthere with us.
But then, when you guys tookover this space, I just remember
thinking what are they going todo with?
Speaker 3 (35:57):
like, this is a lot of space, and then I mean it's
like do you guys need more spacenow?
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Because this?
Speaker 2 (36:03):
is so full.
Speaker 6 (36:04):
Like what's the, what's the vision?
Yeah, Every time we have a newshipment come in, we do say oh
my gosh when we had that firstside.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
We had that side open when we first started.
You know it was sufficientspace.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
But then, as soon as we started bringing more and
more items in, we were like oh,we're running out of space.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
What are we going to?
Speaker 2 (36:27):
do so, then my dad actually had rented a storage
unit, and so we were keepingstuff in the storage unit of
inventory and then from therewe're like like, no, we need
something bigger, yeah, so thenwe got a warehouse, so we had a
warehouse in Fremont and then wehad the shop.
So we would we would have tosometimes, you know, go back and
forth.
I'd call my dad if I was hereand I said, oh, dad, I need this
(36:48):
plant, uh, planter, do you havethis in that color over there
at the warehouse?
because he'd be at the warehouseokay and he, you know we'd have
to do that like every day andit got, it got tiring, you know
it's.
I mean it's a 20 minute drive,but I mean 20 minutes back and
forth, back and forth it getstiring and so it got to a point
where, like okay, we really doneed more space.
And then this opened up and wewere like you know what?
Speaker 3 (37:09):
let's go for it, that's great that's great, but
yeah no, it's, it's been.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
it's been a blessing and you and everyone's been
giving us really good feedback,and just the fact that my dad
had us flipping this all aroundin one month was insane, it was
insane, it was insane.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Well, I mean I was connected in with Devout.
I mean I've been working withthem for years in various ways
and so I helped do a lot ofprojects in this space for them,
helping them get it ready forit to be a roastery and for
other things.
And so then, when I know thatthey were moving out and you
(37:47):
guys were moving in, I was like,well, if you guys need any help
, I've done some work.
But then you guys knocked itout so fast.
It was just like I think.
I felt like I came by one dayand you guys are just moving in.
Speaker 6 (38:01):
The next thing.
I know it's like open forbusiness right, what in the
world we were?
Speaker 2 (38:04):
so happy when stevie said do you want the place?
Yeah, he, yeah, we're likethanks, stevie, that's great.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Well, I think, I think it's awesome.
So is there, is there more thatyou guys want to do from here,
or do you guys feel like youguys settled into the groove and
it's just a matter of like,like refreshing the inventory,
or?
Speaker 2 (38:17):
yeah, I think this is .
This is like what we're gonnakeep going and doing and, um, we
have a shipment coming in abouta week and a half two weeks
maybe okay, but it wouldn'tshock us if javier said, oh,
let's get another spot.
He's always, he's always.
Actually we're the ones thathave to tell me yeah, we
definitely are the ones thathave to keep telling him to slow
down.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
Do you find and I know I kind of mentioned or I
kind of asked a little bit aboutthis earlier, but do you find
that there are people living inthe Bay?
Speaker 4 (38:54):
Area from.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Mexico that when they discover that you're here, they
just love to come here, becauseit does give them a feel of
home.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
Yes, yes, we will have people come in to just talk
to us.
Speaker 6 (39:01):
Wow, yes.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
They'll be like oh, do you remember us?
And we had a whole conversation, like an hour conversation with
them in the store and you knowit was just nostalgia for them
to come in and and so we've hadpeople just to come in and, and
you know, talk to us, see whatwe're doing and see what we're
up to.
But yeah, no, overall I feellike it's just one of those
places that everyone wants tocome and say, oh, this is what I
(39:21):
had growing up, or you know,it's just, it's just nostalgia
for everyone we had this onelady come in which I thought was
hilarious.
Speaker 6 (39:28):
She forgot to buy gifts for her co-workers, so she
came in here and bought thelittle nickname oh yeah, from
Mexico gifts, gifts from mexico.
She was just in mexico she hadjust came in that night and she
was supposed to get like two,like bring souvenirs yes, so she
comes in here and she tells usthe whole story, she goes, but
(39:49):
they're not going to know thedifference because everything
here is from mexico rightexactly and you're not going to
tell.
No, we're not going to tellbecause we don't know who they
are.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
And we're not saying her name, that's right.
We're just saying this person,that's right.
That's hilarious.
Speaker 6 (39:59):
That was hilarious, yes.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
That is very funny.
Well, I had the opposite thinghappen recently.
So my wife grew up in Michigan,so my grandparents had a farm
in Michigan.
My wife grew up in Michigan butwe did not meet there, even
(40:24):
though she lived about an hourand a half from where my
grandparents lived.
But, um, I was just in Michigan, like a month ago, for a
wedding my cousin's wedding andmy dad turned 70 and my grandma
is 95, and so I was like I'mgonna go there and spend time
with them.
Well, it was the day like wegot home from the trip, like
late the night before Mother'sDay and I was, like you know,
trying and usually I help workwith my boys to try to, like you
know, get gifts or makesomething, and I was just like
tomorrow's Mother's Day, we'renot ready.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
What are we?
Speaker 1 (40:45):
doing.
So we're in the airport in GrandRapids, which is where she grew
up, just outside of GrandRapids, and we're in the airport
getting ready to fly home and Iwas like buddy, we're going
shopping for Mother's Day.
So I'm like we went and foundthis one shop that had locally
made stuff like a cutting boardand a candle, and I can't
remember a jam or something likethat, but they were all locally
(41:08):
made and we came home and sheappreciated it.
But then she did make thecomment well, I guess you had to
do what you had to do and I waslike, hey, just appreciate it,
that's right.
That's right, that's awesome.
Well, I love, I love what'sgoing on here and I think that
you guys are doing an amazingjob.
What are maybe some of theunexpected things that people
(41:32):
might like they may not know youhave?
Like, what are some of thethings that by going by here,
they might see you know pots anddishes and and dolls and stuff
like that, but what are some ofthe things that you're just like
we have it here and when peoplediscover this, they're like I
didn't even know you had that.
Speaker 6 (41:48):
Toilets.
Speaker 2 (41:52):
We were cracking up as you were saying that we were
looking at each other and wealready knew exactly what it was
.
That's no it's funny becauseit's one of those things that
it's it's kind of hidden in theback so it's like you walk in.
You're like, oh beautiful, likecups and kitchenware and
talavera pots.
And then they walk in.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
They're like toilets and everyone gets a kick out of
them.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
But like it's funny because when my first, when my
dad first said I want to bring,we're like, ew, no, why would
you want to bring?
Speaker 6 (42:17):
toilets.
I said I put my foot down.
No, yeah.
And then the shipment comes in.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Toilets Four toilets arrive, but you know what's
funny?
The funny part of it is that wegave my dad so much crap.
I'll say that word.
Speaker 1 (42:31):
It's fitting.
It's a fitting word.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
We gave him so much of that and then, sure enough,
he ended up selling all of them.
Speaker 6 (42:38):
And now we have people ordering.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Oh, my word, that's hilarious and so that's one of
the funny items that people donot expect and that they
actually need and want yeah, wegave him such a hard time.
Speaker 6 (42:51):
I know Well.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
I think that is something that people don't
think about.
You think that the toilet islike the.
The um is just the utilitarianpart of the bathroom, like it's
like we can do the tilesbeautifully and we can put the
mirror there and we can decorate, paint the walls, but it's like
we just need to order astandard toilet.
But the fact that you canactually find a toilet, that's
also beautiful yeah, well, weone of the toilets that were
(43:14):
sold.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
It was a whole set.
So she got the toilet to matcha mirror that we have in there
and then a sink, so it was likea three in one.
And she's like I'm going toredo a movie, I'm going to redo
my house.
And so it was just one of thosethings that it worked out
perfectly.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
That's cool.
Yeah, that's cool.
Speaker 6 (43:38):
Although we do tell everybody we are fortunate
enough to go and handpickeverything.
Yeah, if you like it, mydaughter and I picked it up.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
Yeah, if you don't like it, and it's ugly, my
husband picked it up well, youknow it's funny and I and this
is like going a different, adifferent, a different direction
with this, but I've asked youand I haven't followed up
because you gave me what Ineeded to do.
Um, uh.
So when my sister lived down inTexas, across the border from
Mexico, I walked across and oneof the things that I was told
(44:02):
that I needed to buy was vanilla, a bottle of vanilla and I
bought like one of these massivebottles of vanilla down in
Mexico and then at home I'mknown for my daddy's famous
French toast, so I make Frenchtoast and I have my secret
ingredients that I use formaking it, and my secret
(44:23):
ingredient for years has beenthe vanilla that I got from
Mexico.
Well then I ran out and thenI've actually my sister came and
visited me again, so shebrought me a second bottle I
mean, we're talking, these arebig bottles, not just tiny ones
that you get and so I was like,okay, I can keep making my
famous French toast.
Well then I ran out again.
So I came to you probably ayear ago and said, if you guys
are going down there, I wouldlove to get some vanilla, if you
(44:46):
guys want to bring it back forme or whatever.
But you said, well, bring usthe bottle and let us know what
kind you want.
Yes's, so much yeah yeah so yeahthat, yeah, so anyway.
So one of these days I'll haveto get my empty bottle that I
have at home and bring it overhere and let you like what's
funny that you say that too islike when you're like oh, if you
go, you bring us.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
And you know, when we go to mexico we're like okay,
you know, somebody wants us tobring back this or this, like as
far as like furniture or decor,and we go in.
We're like okay, we're gonnalook for that yeah but it's like
when we're in the midst ofthings, we're like oh, we gotta
buy this, we gotta buy this ohwait, okay, yeah, we gotta go
back to that one spot, like it'sso chaotic.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
Oh, I'm sure so chaotic.
Speaker 2 (45:28):
I mean this last trip that I went with my dad because
somebody has to be here, so I Ihad gone for the first week
with my dad.
He, uh, we went out there andwe ended up going to Oaxaca.
And because I really wanted togo and just experience Oaxaca
for itself, but then also Iwanted to bring new inventory
from.
Oaxaca and make connections outthere, and so it was just
(45:52):
nonstop movement.
We.
We got on a plane four times,ok.
So I got to mexico, stayed inmexico overnight and then the
next day we flew out to oaxaca,was in oaxaca for a couple of
days, shopping every day, flewback to my dad's hometown,
stayed for two days and thencame home wow, like wow that,
(46:12):
that like, and that was just aquick and detour for me, and
then I came back and my momfinished the rest of the trip
with my dad.
It's like when you're there andyou're in the midst of things.
Speaker 3 (46:21):
It's just so hard sometimes to remember every
single thing we've got to bringback, because there's things
that we always forget too.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Wow, that's crazy A good tactic.
So you said you have anothershipment coming in soon, next
week, two weeks, okay, wow.
Speaker 2 (46:33):
Yeah that shipment's going to be.
I mean, we don't knoweverything because my dad is the
one that's mainly making allthe moves.
Speaker 4 (46:38):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (46:38):
You know he'll say oh , do you like this?
He'll get our opinion.
But I mean, he could say that,and then he's ordering 10 other
things, yeah, so we don't reallyknow it, but we have an idea of
kind of what's coming.
(47:02):
There's going to be like morekitchenware stuff and more that
one's from puebla yeah, thatone's from puebla and um, we're
gonna be getting more of that.
Um, I think we're getting morepottery, more animal uh pottery,
because honestly, that'sanother.
Actually, that's another thingthat people really like are the
different animals that we bringin yeah that is very popular um
the frenchies.
Speaker 6 (47:10):
Oh yeah, the frenchies are very popular.
That's funny.
Yeah, and the manatees,manatees.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
There's just certain animals that always bring people
in.
That's so funny.
I'm surprised by the manatees,because that's a Florida animal
and I just feel like that's notsomething that you would.
Speaker 2 (47:26):
When you saw it you were like I want to bring it in.
I said I want it.
Speaker 6 (47:29):
I want it.
I thought it was so pretty andthey're very popular.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Whenever there's something new, we're just like
let's try it, let's try it.
Yeah, I mean the ongoingfavorite is probably cats and
donkeys.
Okay, those are the twofavorites.
That's funny.
Speaker 1 (47:47):
Is there and I'm showing my ignorance here are
there certain Mexican holidaysor times of the year that you
guys, that you work around asaround as well, like that you
think?
Is there like certain holidaysor things that happen that
you're like we should have theseon stock in hand because
there's um, you know, peoplemight want to have these
available for day of the deadand christmas okay halloween too
(48:10):
, pumpkins.
Speaker 2 (48:10):
We started.
Yeah, that's true and that thatwas a hit we didn't realize.
Like there was one time a ladycame in and said I was in there
the other day, I'm going to come, these are the pumpkins I want.
She ended up leaving with likesix pumpkins.
Speaker 3 (48:24):
Wow, she's like they're going to.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
she said I'm going to decorate them.
Some are going to be indoors,some are going to be outdoors.
But yeah, Halloween andChristmas.
Speaker 6 (48:33):
It's not nativity scenes.
Yeah, I remember you had thewhole front area with them.
Speaker 1 (48:38):
That's awesome.
Speaker 6 (48:39):
And those come from Mexico as well.
Yes, and that's somethingpeople really, really want.
That's cool, do you?
Speaker 1 (48:44):
guys set up at any of the local festivals or fairs
like the like the art and wine,or the art shows or anything.
We used to do the antique one,but it started getting so hard
because we had to have peopleout there and then people in
here as well.
Speaker 6 (49:03):
Yeah, then I have to recruit my sons, my
daughter-in-laws, and it's justtrying to get sons to work right
you can only rely on thedaughters.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
That's right, no, but you know why it's funny?
Speaker 2 (49:13):
because you know, when we first started, we're
like, okay, yeah, so we can drawmore people into the store,
because when the antique fair isgoing on in Niles, not
everybody's going into thestores.
Speaker 6 (49:22):
They're just enjoying what's on the block.
They're going garage sales Alot of people still didn't know.
Speaker 2 (49:25):
We were here Exactly, and so it was actually a great
thing that we had a boothoutside of our front door,
because it was getting peopleinside of our store.
Speaker 1 (49:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:36):
And so it wasn't until what this past year?
Speaker 6 (49:39):
Last year was the first year that we didn't do it
and a lot of people know we'rehere now.
Speaker 3 (49:44):
That's good, yeah, yeah, yeah, you've made your
presence.
Speaker 6 (49:47):
A lot of word of mouth and it's working yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
And then as far as like other markets go, I mean,
when I go to markets myself Idon't go to too many, just
because you know my parents havea storefront, so I can have my
things accessible here, but whenI do go, I take a few key items
in here that I know that peopleare drawn to when they come
shopping and I bring thebusiness cards.
Speaker 1 (50:07):
And so.
Speaker 2 (50:07):
I'm also supporting and promoting my parents while
I'm selling my own things.
That's perfect.
Yeah, that's perfect.
Speaker 1 (50:12):
Wow, Do you guys?
So I think I know the answer tothis question just because I've
talked with you Are you guys?
Is Javier still makingfurniture and is the furniture
being like?
Is this kind of like more themain business now selling the
stuff that you guys areimporting from Mexico, or are
(50:34):
you doing furniture and thisstill?
Speaker 6 (50:36):
Well, when we still had barrels, he was making an
anorak here a bench there.
And you know, we'd bring themout and they'd sell, and we
weren't taking orders, justbringing them out.
Well, I'm thinking everybody'sdeciding to do the same thing
with the wine barrels, becausenow we can't get any.
We're like on a waiting list.
Speaker 1 (50:56):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (50:58):
Yeah, I think it's one of those things, that it
just became a popular hobby andpeople, everyone started doing
it, so yeah, but you know what I?
I personally, I'm speaking onmy own.
I don't mind not doing the winebecause, I started helping.
so once I left my job, I quit myjob and I came here to fall in
support because my parentsneeded the help.
And once I started realizinghow much work goes into that
(51:19):
kind of furniture and it wasjust my dad I was like how is he
doing that by himself?
And so, personally, I thinkit's less stress on him, less
stress on us, and you know we'rejust having a great time being
able to, you know, work with oneanother and spend more time in
here and just be in the business.
(51:41):
You know there's it's funny, wejoke around and we're like, oh
my dad, he's not really a socialguy, you know, but this, this,
uh, this business has been greatbecause I've seen him grow and.
I've seen a different side.
I've never seen that my dad, soit's been really cool.
Speaker 1 (51:51):
That's great.
Yeah, that's great.
Yeah, he's not a social guy.
Speaker 3 (51:53):
But I love talking to him when I get the opportunity.
That's cool.
Speaker 1 (51:58):
That's great.
Well, this is really beautiful.
Thank you, guys for letting mecome in here and hearing a bit
of the story.
I hope you're here for a longtime.
Speaker 2 (52:06):
Thank you so too.
Thank you so much for having us.
Speaker 4 (52:10):
This episode was hosted and produced by Ricky B.
I'm Gary Williams, Andrew Kvetis the editor.
Scheduling and pre-interviewsby Sarah S.
Be sure to subscribe whereverit is that you listen so you
don't miss an episode.
You can find everything we make, the podcast and all of our
social media links atthefremontpodcastcom.
(52:31):
Join us next week on theFremont Podcast.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
She's like oh, like you know, thank you, Like bless
you guys, because now I get togo home.
She traveled, when did shetravel?
From Oaxaca, Oaxaca.
So she and we, and we were like, oh, like, where are you
staying?
She goes, oh no, I'm juststaying in like the park, and
she's like and then I'm gonnatake a bus back.
Speaker 7 (52:50):
This is.
It would be safe to say that most of the stuff in
this store is from people whoare working out of their homes.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Easy and it's really interesting and it's a whole new
experience.
You know, growing up I went toMexico.
It was just you know.
Oh, we're going to visit family, it's for fun, you know, but if
it wasn't for this job, Iwouldn't have been able to
experience Mexico the way I'mexperiencing it now.
And so being able to go intothese homes, talk to the
families that are working,because it's not always just
like adults that are working,it's like anywhere from, like
(00:31):
you know, ages 18, 15, 16, youknow, trying to support their
parents at home.
So it's like all these familiesyou know that are working and
it's really cool to see just howeverything is created and
everything's by hand.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Coming to you straight from Fremont,
California.
This is the Fremont Podcast,dedicated to telling the stories
of the past and present, of thepeople and places of the city
(01:06):
of Fremont, one conversation ata time.
Speaker 5 (01:11):
I'm in a shopping center across the street from
Ohlone College to talk aboutbuilding space around community.
This is the shopping centerwith the Mission San Jose post
office in it and somerestaurants.
The reason I'm here is notreally the restaurants, although
(01:32):
it is.
It's the tables that I'msitting at.
Right now they blocked off asection of the parking lot that
nobody was really using anywayand they put out tables, and
this was a while ago and it'svery popular.
People can go to all thedifferent restaurants that are
here and it's quiet and it'ssafe and the street that goes
(01:55):
past here is also pretty quiet.
Anza, we're right across thestreet from a local history
museum.
There are a few bike racks here.
There's an alleyway that goespast a preschool.
I mentioned restaurants andthere are some and there are
more coming.
I'm sitting next to a smallbuilding that's being renovated
(02:17):
and it's going to be a boba teaplace and a burger shop.
So the restaurants are popularand there will be more of them
soon.
But the thing that dominatesthe mission area are these
after-school education centersand, for what it's worth, a
place where kids can learn KungFu.
My point with bringing that upis that at some point during the
(02:41):
afternoon, the kids are doneand, with this space, the ones
who are a little older cansafely and organically hang out
here.
If you're interested in gettinginto the academics of it, this
is a third place, but this isn'tmuch.
This is just some tables in theend of a parking lot.
(03:07):
This podcast is about thecommunity found in a place Well,
fremont and so I think everyonce in a while, we should talk
about how to build community ina space, and places like this
are how you do it.
I'm going to get up and walk.
(03:31):
Ultimately, this place is notimpressive.
It didn't take much to makethis work.
It's a relatively quiet street,relatively free of cars, right
next to a bus stop, some tablesthat basically equal public
space.
It's not public space, but it'sclose, surrounded by some
(03:52):
things that people like to do.
It's not perfect, but theytotally did it.
It totally works.
It's lovely.
It is not particularlydifficult to create human-scale
spaces where chance encounterscan occur and people can feel
good about being there.
(04:12):
You are listening to episode121 of the Fremont Podcast.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Now here's your host, Ricky B.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I didn't say this at the beginning, so I'm going to
say it now.
We're at Enrique's.
Speaker 6 (04:29):
Creations, creations, el Puesto, el Puesto.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
What's that?
The Post, the Post Okay.
The Shop the Shop Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
We named it like that in honor of my grandpa, because
whenever we were in Mexico,we'd say oh, we're going to the
Puesto, and that meant we'regoing to his shop.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Oh, that's cool.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
So that was a little Wow.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
So Enrique's Creations in Puesto.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
And down in Niles, right next to Devout Coffee.
Speaker 6 (04:54):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
And across from what's now the Lego Shop.
You're not open Mondays, right?
So what days of the week areyou guys normally open?
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Wednesday to Sunday Wednesday to Saturday 10 to 5
and Sunday 10 to 4 okay yeah,cuz I, when we first started and
we we opened up on Monday wasthe first day.
We're all excited.
We're like, alright, there'sgonna be a lot of people in town
, literally ghost town we didn't, we didn't realize that nobody
is open on.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Monday's and Tuesday's even.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Some people aren't even open on Mondays and
Tuesdays.
Um, even some people aren'teven open on Wednesdays, and so
we were like, okay, so we'regoing to have to adjust our
hours.
And then it was just, you know,one of those things where you
got to learn once.
Speaker 6 (05:33):
But to find out that they didn't open Mondays and
Tuesdays.
We walked down to seeeverybody's hours and that's how
we knew they were closedMondays and Tuesdays, so we
thought okay, we're going toclosed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
So we thought, okay, we're going to close Mondays and
Tuesdays as well.
There you go.
Speaker 6 (05:47):
There you go, that's your new weekend.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Right, yeah, yeah, okay, and I feel horrible.
What was your first name?
Speaker 6 (05:53):
Okay, everybody calls me Coco, because that is short
for Socorro.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Okay, socorro.
Speaker 6 (05:58):
Socorro is a very hard name to yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Gotta roll the R's Coco I was like I know it's
funny because when I first metyou guys because I remember you
guys painting that location verybeginning I came in and your
son's name is Javier as wellright, so there's two Javiers.
Speaker 6 (06:14):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
And so I remember coming in and I remember Javier,
and then, as I've gotten toknow you, I remember Jessica,
but I was like I just don'tremember what your name was.
So it's Socorro.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Socorro, socorro.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Okay, and people call you Coco, coco, awesome, very
good.
Well, this is cool.
I love this, I love this spaceand I love what you guys have
done with it.
I think that your store, yourshop, is kind of like the most
unique and yet unpredictableshop here in Niles.
Speaker 6 (06:48):
Right.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
And I mean you're laughing, because I think you
might feel the same.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
We know we definitely feel the same.
I mean, when we first started,it was mainly focused on wine
barrel work, right.
Because that's kind of how thestore got started.
That's a whole other story.
Well, no, we need to tell thatstory.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So let's talk about that.
So yeah, so you guys started.
So I and I remember thatbecause when you guys first
moved in, you were explainingwhat it was that you were doing
and then you started bringing inyour product.
So where did the wine barrel?
Uh, furniture, or where didthat?
How did that start?
What?
Where was that?
Speaker 6 (07:21):
So what happened was a year before COVID started.
My husband had retired and hishobby was making furniture
anything you can think of out ofwine barrels.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (07:34):
So then COVID happened, and so then we were
all stuck at home and he wasmaking more stuff right.
And then when they finallyopened up, like in June no, May
it was- May Okay.
We decided to come get lunchhere because you were able to
buy just not go inside Right andso when we walked by and we saw
that it was vacant, this endspot was available Right and so
(07:57):
then my son and my daughterstarted saying oh, call dad,
call dad, you know, maybe hemight want it and he can start a
business.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Was this a conversation you've been having
for a while, like actually?
Speaker 6 (08:10):
having a business doing this.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Okay, that's all right.
Um, but yeah, basically whathappened was that, growing up,
my dad has always said oh, Iwant to have a puesto which is a
shop.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Um.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I want to have a puesto um sometime in my life,
just like my dad and so mygrandpa.
He had a puesto in Mexico.
My dad was born and raised inMexico, and so he just always
had that dream following hisdad's footsteps Retired.
It was like my mom was sayinghe was doing the wine barrel
work.
We were actually selling halfbarrels and furniture out of
(08:42):
wine barrels.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
I have like four of them in the backyard.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
We started selling that.
My dad started doing thatbecause of his retirement.
He wanted something new.
He's one of those guys that hehas to always be moving, be
doing something.
He has to be stimulating hisbrain all the time, which is
great you know yeah um, but yeah, I got to a point where he was
just kind of like oh you know,wouldn't it be cool if we were
able to like have like winebarrels sold and the furniture
sold?
And then that's when like whenwe were together and that's when
(09:08):
that story happened we shouldcall dad.
And we literally called him andwe told him that it was vacant
and he literally came down andcame to look through the windows
and, like it just took off fromthere.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
That's awesome, yeah, so I mean, in some sense, that
had to, to have been like thatwas in his head, even though and
obviously part of aconversation that you just said,
but when that happened it waslike this is the moment.
Speaker 6 (09:31):
Right, right right.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
And I think that COVID probably, like you said,
covid would like.
I don't know when you get stuckat home you're and your stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
What am I doing all this for?
Why am I making all this stuff,or whatever it is?
What could come out of this?
A?
Lot of people during that timewas really tapping into their
creative outlets because you hadto think of something to do.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
So when did he start making wine?
What was the connection withthat?
Because he did workconstruction.
And at what point did he startmessing around with wine barrels
and making furniture out ofthem?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Well, I feel like he's always built things.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
But wine barrel specific.
I don't think that startedhappening.
I don't even know how ithappened actually.
To be honest, yeah, I don'teither.
Speaker 6 (10:21):
Okay, oh, you know what, one day he just made a dog
bit out of it, Right, yeah.
Oh and then from there.
That's when it took off.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
That's cool it like triggered him in his head like I
can build more.
But yeah, I mean he's alwaysbeen building stuff.
I mean he built the house thatmy parents live in now.
He built it the addition.
Speaker 6 (10:38):
The addition.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Well, my son Javier helped a lot, but he did it all
Our family helped a lot, yeah,but he's just always been
building things in the winebarrel.
It just kind of was hand inhand.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
That's amazing.
That's amazing.
So, um so he he's.
He built furniture when thisspace became available you guys
jumped on it and um were able toget moved in and I know, like I
said, I came in here um whenyou guys were just painting
originally trying to figure outwhat, what all was.
I think part of the reason I ifI remember correctly, it's been
(11:11):
a while, um, but I think Iremember thinking I loved this
end shop as well, and I don'tknow what I would ever wanted to
do with it because I don't haveanything to put in it.
But I think I remember thinking, oh, that'd be a cool shop.
And then when I saw you guysworking, it was like, oh,
someone moved in.
I wonder what they're doing.
And then I came down here andyou guys were you guys were and
it was going well.
Speaker 6 (11:31):
It really was.
But then I started noticingthat people were coming in and
wanted to buy little knickknacksand I kept telling my husband
we need something else.
I think we need something else,because you know the furniture
was nice.
But for some people who justwant to spend, you know $20, it
(11:52):
was hard.
Well, I remember.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
I'm kind of that way too, because I love your
furniture.
I mean, I bought wine barrelsfrom you.
I think we probably bought.
I know that some of the piecesthat you have in here, like
we'll talk about that in aminute but some of the stuff
that you have in here, likewe'll talk about that in a
minute but some of the stuffthat you've had imported, that
you've imported up here to besold here, I bought.
Like a friend of mine is fromhis parents, are from Mexico and
he had a graduation party and Ibought him a whole set from you
(12:15):
guys.
And so I know I bought stufffrom you before and I still have
my eyes on some of thefurniture in there, the
furniture in there.
But, um, but I think for me,like I remember one of the first
times when I moved here toCalifornia, I went to Monterey
and I went to some of the artgalleries that are in Monterey
and it's like I'm never going toafford any of these big pieces
at this point.
But then they had some of thesesmall paintings that were just
(12:37):
like really small, you know,like I don't know like postcard
size, and I was like I canafford that though.
And I was like I can afford that, though, and I can at least
take that home, and even thoughit's not, you know, one of these
big ones, I can still, you know, enjoy purchasing this piece
that has been hand painted, andI can have it in my home as a,
as a, and so I think that Ithink that's it too.
Some people, no doubt, love thework that you guys have and what
(13:00):
you know, what you sell, butsometimes it's just not
realistic or it's just like whatyou know, where exactly am I
going to put this in my home, orwhatever.
So having the small knickknacksis certainly a great idea, so
you started seeing that when youneeded smaller things, yes and
when.
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Another thing, too, is that he couldn't keep up with
the orders oh it was just himhimself.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I wasn't part of the, I wasn't part of this, yet at
that moment I was still workingat my uh at the youth center
that I was working previously.
Speaker 6 (13:27):
I mean, sometimes it was just them two it was like 10
o'clock at night and at homeand he was still working oh, my
word he couldn't keep up withthe order.
So then we started thinkingwhat else can we do, because he
wanted to continue with thestore retail right, and so then
I said well, what if we bringlittle stuff from Mexico?
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
He started looking into it, and that's how the
other stores started.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
That's awesome.
So just I want to go back alittle bit.
Your father-in-law had a shopin Mexico.
What kind of shop was that?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
It was like what like oh my gosh Home Goods yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
It was all for Home Goods, all kinds of things you
know you need for your kitchen,your you know cooking.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
And my grandpa especially my grandma had a big
love for birds, so he always hadbird cages, that's cool.
Speaker 5 (14:15):
So that's why we have bird cages.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
We'll be right back.
You can hear the rest of thisconversation in just a moment.
Give Jennifer Petrucelli a call.
With her wide ranging knowledgeof the real estate industry and
expert negotiation skills,Jennifer goes above and beyond
for her clients.
Reach out to Jennifer today anddiscover why Petrucelli Homes
(14:41):
is the right choice for all ofyour real estate needs.
I want to tell you aboutMinuteman Press in Irvington.
They are your quality printerto go to here in Fremont.
I have personally worked withthem before and I find their
services to be fantastic.
Look no further than MinutemanPress in Irvington.
(15:02):
You can find them at 44141Fremont Boulevard in Fremont.
Speaker 5 (15:09):
The Ohlone College flea market is happening every
second Saturday of the monthfrom 9 am to 3 pm on Ohlone's
Fremont campus.
Can I ask you, what are youhoping to find today?
Speaker 6 (15:20):
It's just interesting to see what's out there, and
you never know what you'll findTreasures?
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Hey Van, if people want to contact you, how do they
get in touch?
Speaker 3 (15:38):
want to contact you.
How do they get in touch?
So our phone number is510-659-6285 and the email is
fleemarket at aloniedu.
More information can be foundat aloniedu slash flea dash
market.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Fremont Bank has been around for 60 years and they
sponsor a lot of stuff.
And now included on the list ofthings they sponsor is this
podcast.
Thank you, Fremont Bank.
If you are looking for a bookand you know exactly what it is,
that's great.
If you don't know exactly whatyou want, but you have an idea
(16:13):
of the type of thing that youwant, you're not going to be
helped well by shopping online.
Go to Banter Bookshop, tellthem vaguely what you're after
and they will help you find abook.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
And now, back to our conversation.
So I've been to Mexico.
Once my sister lived nearMcAllen over close to the Gulf
of Mexico, like down on thatside, and so I remember walking
across the border into Mexicoand into the place there.
(16:49):
So I guess what I'm wonderingis where the shop was, Because
there was a lot of cool shopswhen I walked across into the
border but I think it was kindof fed off of tourism.
Was the shop that?
Your father that yourfather-in-law had?
Was it more for tourists thatwere coming from?
Speaker 6 (17:06):
or was it deep into?
It was deep, it's like abouthour and a half, two hours away
from Guadalajara where they'refrom.
Okay.
Wow the name of the town isZarandas.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
And it was more like for people who needed a pot or a
pan or you know dishes.
That type of store Wow, it'snot really a touristy area.
Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
The only time there's quote, unquote tourists is like
for the fiestas.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Okay, so when they have like something specific.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
They're Um, that's when people come from all parts
of Mexico, even out of state butbut their town is well known
for the tequila yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Oh, very nice, Very nice.
So the cool.
The cool thing is, though, thatyou um like when, when people
hear imported goods, like theywork with a middleman or
somebody that does this, but youdon't, I mean, you go and get
the stuff yourself, right.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
We go and handpick everything that's in the store
and then we have a company whobrings it to us.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
And we try to work with people who not like big
factories, people who areworking out of their homes.
Wow, yeah, yeah, wow.
So can you?
Would it be safe to say thatmost of the stuff in this store
is from people who are workingout of their homes?
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Yeah, Easy and it's it's really interesting and it's
it's a whole new experience.
You know, growing up I went toMexico.
It was, you know.
Oh, we're going to visit family, it's for fun you know, but if
it wasn't for this job, Iwouldn't have been able to
experience Mexico the way I'mexperiencing it now, and so
being able to go into thesehomes, talk to the families that
that are working, because it'snot always just like adults that
(18:33):
are working, it's like anywherefrom, like you know, ages 18,
15, 16 you know, trying tosupport their, their parents, at
home.
So it's like all these familiesyou know that are working and
it's really cool to see just howeverything is created and
everything's by hand.
And it's like that's whenpeople come and they're shopping
, you know, sometimes people say, oh, like, can I get two the
same?
Like you're never going to findtwo of the same because there's
(18:55):
multiple artists working on.
You know, if they're working oncats, all cats are going to be
different.
They're not going to have thesame.
They're all having differentstyles, different techniques,
all that.
Speaker 6 (19:04):
So, even like the dolls or the key chains that we
have, it's from ladies that aresitting on the sidewalk.
Oh, these dolls right here.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
They're sitting on the sidewalk working on them.
Speaker 6 (19:15):
Yeah, yeah.
And so, if you know, I likethem, so I say, okay, I want
them all and I bring them.
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
But it's great, because then they just get to go
home because there was the ladythat my mom's talking about.
So the backstory is that oneyear we went to go have fun at
the fiestas and, uh, there was alady working on them and she
was.
She only had a few out at themoment and we went, you know, we
enjoyed our night, came backshe was still there.
She had a bunch at that pointyou know, from her working on
(19:44):
them and so we took them on.
So we got to talk to her andshe's like oh, like you know,
thank you, like bless you guys,because now I get to go home.
She traveled.
Where did she travel?
She travel from Oaxaca, oaxaca.
So she, she and we, and we werelike, oh, like, where are you
staying?
She goes, oh, no, I'm juststaying in like the park, and
she's like and then I'm going totake a bus back.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
So like we were like able to like be like, okay, well
, let's support you.
And how long the bus ride is,but I know from guadalajara to
oaxaca it's like an hour 45minutes oh my word wow.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
So she traveled from home, she from an airplane hour
45 minutes, so I don't know howlong the bus ride was.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Oh, my word, so so she.
She made all these dolls yeahand then she decided I'm gonna
go to this place for take thebest chance that I can to get
well, because you know therewere gonna be a lot of people
that day cause of the fiestas.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
It was during the fiestas time, so she knew.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
okay, there's going to be a lot of people in town.
Let me go and yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Wow, that's amazing.
Yeah, so these dolls very cooland then, uh, that are uniquely
significant, either to likepersonal stories like that, or
um, or even like connecteddirectly to like Mexican culture
, because, uh, like, for me, Ijust look at it, I'm like dude,
(21:01):
this is, this is really reallycool, like I feel like I step
into a shop in Mexico eventhough you know, but I wouldn't
know the significance of, uh, ofa lot of these things.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I think a popular item and an item that people
come in and really love to seeare the alebrijes.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
The alebrijes come from Oaxaca as well, and they're
from another family we'reworking with, and so, like the
teenagers, make the smaller ones, they're hand-carved,
hand-painted, and then theadults are making the more
larger, intricate pieces.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
But those, I mean those have been around for years
and again it was a family whowas at the park selling their
stuff.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (21:42):
My husband liked what he saw.
He bought from them, and thenthat's how we met them.
Wow, and they also are fromOaxaca Wow.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
That's amazing yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
So it's like interesting, because I feel like
there are pieces in here likethat will say oh you know, this
is from Oaxaca, this is fromGuadalajara, michoacan, all
these places right, but we'veonly been to a few.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Right.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
It's just been coincidence that some of them
have been in my dad's hometown.
We actually haven't been to allthe places where some of our
things are from.
Speaker 6 (22:12):
The alebrijes are for the spirit guides.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
Yeah, if you've ever seen the movie Coco, yes, yeah,
it's exactly what I grew upknowing.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Okay, when I see the movie.
So they named the movie afteryou, right?
Speaker 6 (22:27):
But everything that they explain in the movie.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
That's exactly what they did.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
That's how you grew up.
Yeah Lane in the movie Uh-huh,that's exactly what he did.
That's how you grew up.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Yes, they did their research.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
They did a really good job.
They did a good job atdepicting that.
That's cool yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
I think that when you see movies like that come out,
especially if it's from yourculture or your background, I'm
sure it's like I don't want tobe embarrassed or I don't want
to be like, no, that's familiar,they did a great job.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
That's cool, so that's how you grew up.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
How long did you live in Mexico then, before you
moved to the?
Speaker 6 (22:56):
United States.
Actually, I was born here.
Oh, you were, I was born here.
My parents were born in Mexico.
Oh, okay, but I went as alittle girl every year.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (23:04):
Every year it went from a month to three months.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Yeah, my dad.
My dad was the one that wasborn and raised in Mexico.
He came to the US when he was16?
15.
15.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (23:21):
Wow.
So I am in the WashingtonTownship Museum of Local History
on Anza Street in the MissionSan Jose area and I just donated
something and it occurs to me Iwant to encourage people who
have Fremont history to at leastattempt to donate it to the
museum.
So this is how you do that.
The process of donating is veryeasy.
(23:44):
It's going to take more time torecord this ad than it took me
a moment ago to donate the thingI was donating.
Speaker 7 (23:53):
A lot of people are cleaning house these days you
know downsizing and so we do getsome donations from people who
say I've been cleaning out mycloset, found my old yearbooks
from Horner or Mission High orsomething.
Those we're happy to get,because we don't have all of
those.
We can't guarantee that we'regoing to add it to our
(24:13):
collection, because sometimes wehave a duplicate or it doesn't
quite fit in or it's maybe alittle bit damaged and we can't
make it look good.
But if you're willing to giveit to us ready to get rid of it,
and otherwise it's going to goin your trash, can we're happy
to take a look at it.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
We're happy to take a look at it.
So when people have somethingand they show up, what do they
have to do once they're here inorder for them to officially
donate something?
Speaker 7 (24:42):
Okay.
So we want to explain a littlebit to them about what we're
doing and why we choose or notchoose something, something.
If they're willing to go withthat route, we give them a form,
very simple form.
Just gives your name andaddress, what the object is, and
then we sign it and we givethem a copy.
(25:03):
We keep a copy.
That's all the paperwork weneed to do.
Speaker 5 (25:06):
A moment ago.
I just did it.
It was very easy.
Speaker 7 (25:09):
Good, we're interested in a lot of different
things, not just the things younormally think about in a
museum, but we want some thingsthat remind people of how people
lived, maybe now, because in 20years or 30 years now is going
to be history, so maybesomething that has some meaning
here.
We're not going to become anantique store, but we do need
(25:30):
some of the tangible things thatwill remind people of how
things work, and we also aretrying to get a more
representative distribution ofthings that are in our community
.
So again, now our communitylooks a lot different than it
did 50 years ago when Fremontbecame a city.
So we're looking for that.
We're looking ahead for thattoo.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
That's really cool.
What kind of customers do youhave that come in here?
I'm just thinking.
I know that there's a Latinocommunity all around and not all
of them are from Mexico, fromit, maybe, as I will say this
(26:17):
way, maybe as foreign to them,as like as far as the culture of
all of this maybe as foreign tothem as it is to me, but, um, I
still find this extremelyinteresting, like I find these
things to be really beautiful,um, very fascinating.
So what kind of customers do youhave that you see coming in?
Speaker 6 (26:31):
here we have people from all over the world.
Okay, really, yeah, in here.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Yes, we have had some interesting conversations with
people that come in.
I mean, just this past weekendthis family came in um and they
were going to take their stuffback to india yes and they were
like oh, can you package it?
Well, because we're going totake it back.
And we're like oh, where areyou taking it back?
They're like india.
We've had people come in fromaustralia, from canada, I mean
germany germany like there's, soit's so versatile and I think
(26:59):
that's the one thing that Ireally like about this job is
that you never know who's goingto come in and then a lot of the
indian ladies tell me thateverything in here is very
similar to what's in indiainteresting.
Like the.
The patterns are similar.
Speaker 6 (27:12):
The dolls that we have over there the clay dolls
they buy those because I'm notsure exactly what it is they're
celebrating.
But they also make an altarwith dolls.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Oh, I forgot what it was called.
Oh, that's interesting.
Speaker 6 (27:25):
And they come in and buy those dolls.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Wow, because they're very similar.
Huh.
So if I were to go to Mexicoand I were to go to one of these
, you know non-touristy towns orwhatever, would I see a lot of
these sorts of things around, orare these kind of like more an
art form that certaincommunities?
(27:50):
that create and what's theinspiration behind them,
creating them?
If it's not something that'scommonly seen like, what is it
that makes people?
Because so much of it?
I mean, it seems to me, itseems like there's such a
continuity between all of thesethings like I look at it and I
think they fit some.
These all fit together.
It's not like this looks verydifferent from this and I mean
(28:12):
there's some things.
I mean there's some things likethese have more of like a I
don't know, like more a toneddown design to them and texture,
but then you've got some thatare just super colorful, right
right right, like what is itthat really inspires people to
make the different things thatthey make?
Because it does feel like it's.
I mean, it does come out of acertain culture, I guess.
Speaker 6 (28:36):
I mean you do see a lot in their homes, you do see
the pots for the plants andstuff, but honestly I'm not even
sure, I just know.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
I look at this frog too.
This frog is like super cool,like there's different.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
I mean like, for example.
There are some patterns Like,for example, these Dia de los
Muertos-inspired figurines.
There's some art patterns anddesigns on there that are
significant to that.
Speaker 6 (29:03):
Yes from the.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Huichol people.
Yeah, so I mean there arecertain patterns that are for
different.
You know tribes in Mexico PeroI don't know.
I feel like some of thepatterns all are shared in a
sense.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Like, if you like, I've heard people say, oh, I've
seen this in this town or thistown, and it's like we're all
kind of sharing and thriving offof one another.
So some patterns on some of thepottery are not really.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
There's not really any significance to them, it's
just to make them look beautiful.
Right you know when it comesfrom Puebla.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (29:35):
Because of the style, the color.
It has more 3D-ish compared tothe other states.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Okay, Jessica, I want to ask you a little bit.
I know you said something aboutthis already and I know, coco,
you didn't grow up, I mean, youwere born here, but you went
back and visited a lot back andvisited a lot like um, how has
you said that this has helped?
You kind of like um rediscover,I guess, the culture, your
family, culture and stuff likethat, like what are some of the
(30:03):
things that specifically, um,you've been able to experience
since all of this started tohappen?
Speaker 2 (30:08):
that's really helped you experience that more well,
even just for example, earlier Iwas telling you how I do bead
work.
So even that, like you know,growing up I collected, you know
, a necklace here, a necklacethere, bracelet here, basically
there, but I never really paidmind to like the work that goes
into it or any any like you knowspecifics, so that I just saw
it looked pretty and I bought it.
(30:29):
But as I got older and I started, you know, really tapping into
my artistic um journey, I was,like you know, I, I think I want
to, you know, tap into beading,like I want to learn more about
it.
You know we go to Mexico, wealways see people working, but
like I want to talk to thesepeople, get to know them, see
how long they've been beadingthings like that, and so I think
(30:50):
having that be a part of ourjourney as a business and my
journey as an artist has, likebeen great.
It ties into one and you know,and even me, like when I'm
beating, it's like I appreciatethe art form even more so
because I've seen ladies andtalked to ladies that are
beating in their like 70s andand they're fast, they're not
(31:11):
like just taking, no, they're,this is their livelihood.
They've been doing it for years, and so you you know, just
being able to see this otherside of Mexico, that I didn't
really appreciate or acknowledgeas much as growing up.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
You know it's, it's been, it's been amazing that's
awesome yeah, you know what Ithink is funny okay everybody
this I've been going to Mexicoall my life, but only to, not my
married life, only to myhusband's side okay when I was a
little girl, I was going to myparents side, which is the
little ranch in guanajuato.
It took having a store likethis to go to different states
(31:44):
in mexico and get to seedifferent things.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Wow, yeah, because we would have never experienced
any of that if we never had ashop, which is crazy.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
Because I think, yeah , yeah, I was gonna say, I think
, when you go in with differenteyes as well, like when you are
looking for, like when you'rejust going back to visit family,
like a lot of times you're justlike I know I'm very familiar
with, like for me.
So, in a similar sense, mygrandparents had a dairy farm in
Michigan and so, growing up,each summer my parents would
(32:14):
send me to my grandparents' farmto work on the farm throughout
the summer, and so when I, forme, going to Michigan seemed to
be like like I had really reallygood experiences, really a
particular idea in mind, butwhere they were in the state of
Michigan, uh, was on theopposite side of the state from
(32:35):
Detroit.
So a lot of times people thinkof Michigan, they think of
Detroit, they think of all thethings associated with Detroit.
Well, my grandparents were onthe completely other side.
They were in a farmingcommunity and I spent a lot of
times working, baling hay,milking cows, taking care of
chickens and goats and pigs andstuff like that.
(32:57):
It's a very differentexperience than the rest of
Michigan.
But then when you starttraveling, if you go in with a
different perspective like I'mno longer going there to spend
time on my grandparents' farm,I'm going to go there to do
something else All of a suddenyou're like whoa I remember
going to Lansing a couple yearsago and just thinking, seeing
the Capitol, you know, a coupleof years ago and just thinking
seeing the Capitol is like Ijust never thought there.
(33:19):
I've never like paid attentionto, like the Capitol of the of
the state you know or, and Ihave been to Detroit a lot.
But I think, like I'm gettingready to go to Michigan in a few
weeks my sister-in-law andfamily lives in Detroit area and
I'm like they want to show usall the stuff in Detroit and I'm
like, well, I've driven throughDetroit before but I know that
when I go they're going to showme things that I've never seen
(33:40):
that I did not know, and it'sgoing to give me a whole
different perspective of whatMichigan is.
Like you know, because there's,you know, there's definitely the
negative side that people thinkof when it comes to Detroit,
but there's obviously going tobe some beautiful things and
incredible things in just insimilar way.
I can see how that would beeyeopening for you in Mexico as
well.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
Yeah, and I feel like that's one of the things too.
That kind of ties in too isthat you know people think, oh,
mexico is dangerous.
So you know they hear the badthings.
And don't get me wrong there's,there are bad things and you
have to watch your back and youknow and be mindful of what's
going on around you, but I meanwith even all that, there are
places that you can go and enjoyand see the beauty and enrich
(34:24):
the culture.
everything you just have to beaware of your surroundings, but
that's everywhere.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
I was going to say that's everywhere.
I hear that here.
People are like San Franciscois horrible.
It's such a mess.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
I'm like have you ever been?
Speaker 1 (34:33):
there.
Speaker 6 (34:34):
Right, right, I mean like yes there are certain parts
of San Francisco you probablywant to you know, avoid but
there, it's still such abeautiful city you know, and
it's the same thing with Mexicothere's just places that you
know you shouldn't be.
Yeah, that's right, that'sright.
Same here.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Yeah, that's exactly right that's exactly right yeah,
so that's, that's really cool.
I love hearing that and I lovethat you're bringing part of
Mexico to us as well and wedon't get to experience
everything that you get toexperience.
But I do think that this is awonderful, very important part
(35:11):
of Niles.
I think that this shop is justreally really a wonderful
addition to what we have here.
Speaker 6 (35:17):
Thank you, we appreciate it honestly.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Do you feel like when Javier first imagined having a
shop, when you guys startedtalking about this years ago, do
you feel like that dream?
I'm sure you have moreaspirations and more things that
you want to do, but do you feellike that dream or that vision
of what it could be is comingtrue, Like?
Do you feel like this is this,is really it or do you really
(35:43):
really do yes?
Yeah, is there anything?
What?
What is the vision like beyondhere?
Because I feel like you guysare just, you guys work it Like
I mean it started off over overthere with us.
But then, when you guys tookover this space, I just remember
thinking what are they going todo with?
Speaker 3 (35:57):
like, this is a lot of space, and then I mean it's
like do you guys need more spacenow?
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Because this?
Speaker 2 (36:03):
is so full.
Speaker 6 (36:04):
Like what's the, what's the vision?
Yeah, Every time we have a newshipment come in, we do say oh
my gosh when we had that firstside.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
We had that side open when we first started.
You know it was sufficientspace.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
But then, as soon as we started bringing more and
more items in, we were like oh,we're running out of space.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
What are we going to?
Speaker 2 (36:27):
do so, then my dad actually had rented a storage
unit, and so we were keepingstuff in the storage unit of
inventory and then from therewe're like like, no, we need
something bigger, yeah, so thenwe got a warehouse, so we had a
warehouse in Fremont and then wehad the shop.
So we would we would have tosometimes, you know, go back and
forth.
I'd call my dad if I was hereand I said, oh, dad, I need this
(36:48):
plant, uh, planter, do you havethis in that color over there
at the warehouse?
because he'd be at the warehouseokay and he, you know we'd have
to do that like every day andit got, it got tiring, you know
it's.
I mean it's a 20 minute drive,but I mean 20 minutes back and
forth, back and forth it getstiring and so it got to a point
where, like okay, we really doneed more space.
And then this opened up and wewere like you know what?
Speaker 3 (37:09):
let's go for it, that's great that's great, but
yeah no, it's, it's been.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
it's been a blessing and you and everyone's been
giving us really good feedback,and just the fact that my dad
had us flipping this all aroundin one month was insane, it was
insane, it was insane.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Well, I mean I was connected in with Devout.
I mean I've been working withthem for years in various ways
and so I helped do a lot ofprojects in this space for them,
helping them get it ready forit to be a roastery and for
other things.
And so then, when I know thatthey were moving out and you
(37:47):
guys were moving in, I was like,well, if you guys need any help
, I've done some work.
But then you guys knocked itout so fast.
It was just like I think.
I felt like I came by one dayand you guys are just moving in.
Speaker 6 (38:01):
The next thing.
I know it's like open forbusiness right, what in the
world we were?
Speaker 2 (38:04):
so happy when stevie said do you want the place?
Yeah, he, yeah, we're likethanks, stevie, that's great.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Well, I think, I think it's awesome.
So is there, is there more thatyou guys want to do from here,
or do you guys feel like youguys settled into the groove and
it's just a matter of like,like refreshing the inventory,
or?
Speaker 2 (38:17):
yeah, I think this is .
This is like what we're gonnakeep going and doing and, um, we
have a shipment coming in abouta week and a half two weeks
maybe okay, but it wouldn'tshock us if javier said, oh,
let's get another spot.
He's always, he's always.
Actually we're the ones thathave to tell me yeah, we
definitely are the ones thathave to keep telling him to slow
down.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
Do you find and I know I kind of mentioned or I
kind of asked a little bit aboutthis earlier, but do you find
that there are people living inthe Bay?
Speaker 4 (38:54):
Area from.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Mexico that when they discover that you're here, they
just love to come here, becauseit does give them a feel of
home.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
Yes, yes, we will have people come in to just talk
to us.
Speaker 6 (39:01):
Wow, yes.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
They'll be like oh, do you remember us?
And we had a whole conversation, like an hour conversation with
them in the store and you knowit was just nostalgia for them
to come in and and so we've hadpeople just to come in and, and
you know, talk to us, see whatwe're doing and see what we're
up to.
But yeah, no, overall I feellike it's just one of those
places that everyone wants tocome and say, oh, this is what I
(39:21):
had growing up, or you know,it's just, it's just nostalgia
for everyone we had this onelady come in which I thought was
hilarious.
Speaker 6 (39:28):
She forgot to buy gifts for her co-workers, so she
came in here and bought thelittle nickname oh yeah, from
Mexico gifts, gifts from mexico.
She was just in mexico she hadjust came in that night and she
was supposed to get like two,like bring souvenirs yes, so she
comes in here and she tells usthe whole story, she goes, but
(39:49):
they're not going to know thedifference because everything
here is from mexico rightexactly and you're not going to
tell.
No, we're not going to tellbecause we don't know who they
are.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
And we're not saying her name, that's right.
We're just saying this person,that's right.
That's hilarious.
Speaker 6 (39:59):
That was hilarious, yes.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
That is very funny.
Well, I had the opposite thinghappen recently.
So my wife grew up in Michigan,so my grandparents had a farm
in Michigan.
My wife grew up in Michigan butwe did not meet there, even
(40:24):
though she lived about an hourand a half from where my
grandparents lived.
But, um, I was just in Michigan, like a month ago, for a
wedding my cousin's wedding andmy dad turned 70 and my grandma
is 95, and so I was like I'mgonna go there and spend time
with them.
Well, it was the day like wegot home from the trip, like
late the night before Mother'sDay and I was, like you know,
trying and usually I help workwith my boys to try to, like you
know, get gifts or makesomething, and I was just like
tomorrow's Mother's Day, we'renot ready.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
What are we?
Speaker 1 (40:45):
doing.
So we're in the airport in GrandRapids, which is where she grew
up, just outside of GrandRapids, and we're in the airport
getting ready to fly home and Iwas like buddy, we're going
shopping for Mother's Day.
So I'm like we went and foundthis one shop that had locally
made stuff like a cutting boardand a candle, and I can't
remember a jam or something likethat, but they were all locally
(41:08):
made and we came home and sheappreciated it.
But then she did make thecomment well, I guess you had to
do what you had to do and I waslike, hey, just appreciate it,
that's right.
That's right, that's awesome.
Well, I love, I love what'sgoing on here and I think that
you guys are doing an amazingjob.
What are maybe some of theunexpected things that people
(41:32):
might like they may not know youhave?
Like, what are some of thethings that by going by here,
they might see you know pots anddishes and and dolls and stuff
like that, but what are some ofthe things that you're just like
we have it here and when peoplediscover this, they're like I
didn't even know you had that.
Speaker 6 (41:48):
Toilets.
Speaker 2 (41:52):
We were cracking up as you were saying that we were
looking at each other and wealready knew exactly what it was
.
That's no it's funny becauseit's one of those things that
it's it's kind of hidden in theback so it's like you walk in.
You're like, oh beautiful, likecups and kitchenware and
talavera pots.
And then they walk in.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
They're like toilets and everyone gets a kick out of
them.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
But like it's funny because when my first, when my
dad first said I want to bring,we're like, ew, no, why would
you want to bring?
Speaker 6 (42:17):
toilets.
I said I put my foot down.
No, yeah.
And then the shipment comes in.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Toilets Four toilets arrive, but you know what's
funny?
The funny part of it is that wegave my dad so much crap.
I'll say that word.
Speaker 1 (42:31):
It's fitting.
It's a fitting word.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
We gave him so much of that and then, sure enough,
he ended up selling all of them.
Speaker 6 (42:38):
And now we have people ordering.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Oh, my word, that's hilarious and so that's one of
the funny items that people donot expect and that they
actually need and want yeah, wegave him such a hard time.
Speaker 6 (42:51):
I know Well.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
I think that is something that people don't
think about.
You think that the toilet islike the.
The um is just the utilitarianpart of the bathroom, like it's
like we can do the tilesbeautifully and we can put the
mirror there and we can decorate, paint the walls, but it's like
we just need to order astandard toilet.
But the fact that you canactually find a toilet, that's
also beautiful yeah, well, weone of the toilets that were
(43:14):
sold.
Speaker 2 (43:15):
It was a whole set.
So she got the toilet to matcha mirror that we have in there
and then a sink, so it was likea three in one.
And she's like I'm going toredo a movie, I'm going to redo
my house.
And so it was just one of thosethings that it worked out
perfectly.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
That's cool.
Yeah, that's cool.
Speaker 6 (43:38):
Although we do tell everybody we are fortunate
enough to go and handpickeverything.
Yeah, if you like it, mydaughter and I picked it up.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
Yeah, if you don't like it, and it's ugly, my
husband picked it up well, youknow it's funny and I and this
is like going a different, adifferent, a different direction
with this, but I've asked youand I haven't followed up
because you gave me what Ineeded to do.
Um, uh.
So when my sister lived down inTexas, across the border from
Mexico, I walked across and oneof the things that I was told
(44:02):
that I needed to buy was vanilla, a bottle of vanilla and I
bought like one of these massivebottles of vanilla down in
Mexico and then at home I'mknown for my daddy's famous
French toast, so I make Frenchtoast and I have my secret
ingredients that I use formaking it, and my secret
(44:23):
ingredient for years has beenthe vanilla that I got from
Mexico.
Well then I ran out and thenI've actually my sister came and
visited me again, so shebrought me a second bottle I
mean, we're talking, these arebig bottles, not just tiny ones
that you get and so I was like,okay, I can keep making my
famous French toast.
Well then I ran out again.
So I came to you probably ayear ago and said, if you guys
are going down there, I wouldlove to get some vanilla, if you
(44:46):
guys want to bring it back forme or whatever.
But you said, well, bring usthe bottle and let us know what
kind you want.
Yes's, so much yeah yeah so yeahthat, yeah, so anyway.
So one of these days I'll haveto get my empty bottle that I
have at home and bring it overhere and let you like what's
funny that you say that too islike when you're like oh, if you
go, you bring us.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
And you know, when we go to mexico we're like okay,
you know, somebody wants us tobring back this or this, like as
far as like furniture or decor,and we go in.
We're like okay, we're gonnalook for that yeah but it's like
when we're in the midst ofthings, we're like oh, we gotta
buy this, we gotta buy this ohwait, okay, yeah, we gotta go
back to that one spot, like it'sso chaotic.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
Oh, I'm sure so chaotic.
Speaker 2 (45:28):
I mean this last trip that I went with my dad because
somebody has to be here, so I Ihad gone for the first week
with my dad.
He, uh, we went out there andwe ended up going to Oaxaca.
And because I really wanted togo and just experience Oaxaca
for itself, but then also Iwanted to bring new inventory
from.
Oaxaca and make connections outthere, and so it was just
(45:52):
nonstop movement.
We.
We got on a plane four times,ok.
So I got to mexico, stayed inmexico overnight and then the
next day we flew out to oaxaca,was in oaxaca for a couple of
days, shopping every day, flewback to my dad's hometown,
stayed for two days and thencame home wow, like wow that,
(46:12):
that like, and that was just aquick and detour for me, and
then I came back and my momfinished the rest of the trip
with my dad.
It's like when you're there andyou're in the midst of things.
Speaker 3 (46:21):
It's just so hard sometimes to remember every
single thing we've got to bringback, because there's things
that we always forget too.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Wow, that's crazy A good tactic.
So you said you have anothershipment coming in soon, next
week, two weeks, okay, wow.
Speaker 2 (46:33):
Yeah that shipment's going to be.
I mean, we don't knoweverything because my dad is the
one that's mainly making allthe moves.
Speaker 4 (46:38):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (46:38):
You know he'll say oh , do you like this?
He'll get our opinion.
But I mean, he could say that,and then he's ordering 10 other
things, yeah, so we don't reallyknow it, but we have an idea of
kind of what's coming.
(47:02):
There's going to be like morekitchenware stuff and more that
one's from puebla yeah, thatone's from puebla and um, we're
gonna be getting more of that.
Um, I think we're getting morepottery, more animal uh pottery,
because honestly, that'sanother.
Actually, that's another thingthat people really like are the
different animals that we bringin yeah that is very popular um
the frenchies.
Speaker 6 (47:10):
Oh yeah, the frenchies are very popular.
That's funny.
Yeah, and the manatees,manatees.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
There's just certain animals that always bring people
in.
That's so funny.
I'm surprised by the manatees,because that's a Florida animal
and I just feel like that's notsomething that you would.
Speaker 2 (47:26):
When you saw it you were like I want to bring it in.
I said I want it.
Speaker 6 (47:29):
I want it.
I thought it was so pretty andthey're very popular.
Speaker 1 (47:32):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Whenever there's something new, we're just like
let's try it, let's try it.
Yeah, I mean the ongoingfavorite is probably cats and
donkeys.
Okay, those are the twofavorites.
That's funny.
Speaker 1 (47:47):
Is there and I'm showing my ignorance here are
there certain Mexican holidaysor times of the year that you
guys, that you work around asaround as well, like that you
think?
Is there like certain holidaysor things that happen that
you're like we should have theseon stock in hand because
there's um, you know, peoplemight want to have these
available for day of the deadand christmas okay halloween too
(48:10):
, pumpkins.
Speaker 2 (48:10):
We started.
Yeah, that's true and that thatwas a hit we didn't realize.
Like there was one time a ladycame in and said I was in there
the other day, I'm going to come, these are the pumpkins I want.
She ended up leaving with likesix pumpkins.
Speaker 3 (48:24):
Wow, she's like they're going to.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
she said I'm going to decorate them.
Some are going to be indoors,some are going to be outdoors.
But yeah, Halloween andChristmas.
Speaker 6 (48:33):
It's not nativity scenes.
Yeah, I remember you had thewhole front area with them.
Speaker 1 (48:38):
That's awesome.
Speaker 6 (48:39):
And those come from Mexico as well.
Yes, and that's somethingpeople really, really want.
That's cool, do you?
Speaker 1 (48:44):
guys set up at any of the local festivals or fairs
like the like the art and wine,or the art shows or anything.
We used to do the antique one,but it started getting so hard
because we had to have peopleout there and then people in
here as well.
Speaker 6 (49:03):
Yeah, then I have to recruit my sons, my
daughter-in-laws, and it's justtrying to get sons to work right
you can only rely on thedaughters.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
That's right, no, but you know why it's funny?
Speaker 2 (49:13):
because you know, when we first started, we're
like, okay, yeah, so we can drawmore people into the store,
because when the antique fair isgoing on in Niles, not
everybody's going into thestores.
Speaker 6 (49:22):
They're just enjoying what's on the block.
They're going garage sales Alot of people still didn't know.
Speaker 2 (49:25):
We were here Exactly, and so it was actually a great
thing that we had a boothoutside of our front door,
because it was getting peopleinside of our store.
Speaker 1 (49:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:36):
And so it wasn't until what this past year?
Speaker 6 (49:39):
Last year was the first year that we didn't do it
and a lot of people know we'rehere now.
Speaker 3 (49:44):
That's good, yeah, yeah, yeah, you've made your
presence.
Speaker 6 (49:47):
A lot of word of mouth and it's working yeah.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
And then as far as like other markets go, I mean,
when I go to markets myself Idon't go to too many, just
because you know my parents havea storefront, so I can have my
things accessible here, but whenI do go, I take a few key items
in here that I know that peopleare drawn to when they come
shopping and I bring thebusiness cards.
Speaker 1 (50:07):
And so.
Speaker 2 (50:07):
I'm also supporting and promoting my parents while
I'm selling my own things.
That's perfect.
Yeah, that's perfect.
Speaker 1 (50:12):
Wow, Do you guys?
So I think I know the answer tothis question just because I've
talked with you Are you guys?
Is Javier still makingfurniture and is the furniture
being like?
Is this kind of like more themain business now selling the
stuff that you guys areimporting from Mexico, or are
(50:34):
you doing furniture and thisstill?
Speaker 6 (50:36):
Well, when we still had barrels, he was making an
anorak here a bench there.
And you know, we'd bring themout and they'd sell, and we
weren't taking orders, justbringing them out.
Well, I'm thinking everybody'sdeciding to do the same thing
with the wine barrels, becausenow we can't get any.
We're like on a waiting list.
Speaker 1 (50:56):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (50:58):
Yeah, I think it's one of those things, that it
just became a popular hobby andpeople, everyone started doing
it, so yeah, but you know what I?
I personally, I'm speaking onmy own.
I don't mind not doing the winebecause, I started helping.
so once I left my job, I quit myjob and I came here to fall in
support because my parentsneeded the help.
And once I started realizinghow much work goes into that
(51:19):
kind of furniture and it wasjust my dad I was like how is he
doing that by himself?
And so, personally, I thinkit's less stress on him, less
stress on us, and you know we'rejust having a great time being
able to, you know, work with oneanother and spend more time in
here and just be in the business.
(51:41):
You know there's it's funny, wejoke around and we're like, oh
my dad, he's not really a socialguy, you know, but this, this,
uh, this business has been greatbecause I've seen him grow and.
I've seen a different side.
I've never seen that my dad, soit's been really cool.
Speaker 1 (51:51):
That's great.
Yeah, that's great.
Yeah, he's not a social guy.
Speaker 3 (51:53):
But I love talking to him when I get the opportunity.
That's cool.
Speaker 1 (51:58):
That's great.
Well, this is really beautiful.
Thank you, guys for letting mecome in here and hearing a bit
of the story.
I hope you're here for a longtime.
Speaker 2 (52:06):
Thank you so too.
Thank you so much for having us.
Speaker 4 (52:10):
This episode was hosted and produced by Ricky B.
I'm Gary Williams, Andrew Kvetis the editor.
Scheduling and pre-interviewsby Sarah S.
Be sure to subscribe whereverit is that you listen so you
don't miss an episode.
You can find everything we make, the podcast and all of our
social media links atthefremontpodcastcom.
(52:31):
Join us next week on theFremont Podcast.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
She's like oh, like you know, thank you, Like bless
you guys, because now I get togo home.
She traveled, when did shetravel?
From Oaxaca, Oaxaca.
So she and we, and we were like, oh, like, where are you
staying?
She goes, oh no, I'm juststaying in like the park, and
she's like and then I'm gonnatake a bus back.
Speaker 7 (52:50):
This is.
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