Doers and Dreamers – Erika Cruz
Say ‘Hello’ to this week’s ‘Doer and Dreamer’, Erika Cruz. Being a bit of a ‘foodie’ I really enjoyed exploring her store on Broadway and hearing about some of the unique goods that she sells there. I really have to go back and try some of her baked goods!
Your name: Erika Cruz
Business or organization: El Mercadito
Occupation: Store owner and full time Mom.
What is your approach to your business or occupation that makes you unique?
What makes this business unique is that we sell Mexican bread baked daily. We also have hand made crafts obtained directly from Mexico like tequileros (sets of bottles for tequila and shot glasses) , a variety of herbs and spices, as well as fresh vegetables. One of the things that people love when they come into our store is the fact that they find things here that they haven’t seen since they left Mexico, like our candy, which they say they can only find here.
Where are you from originally?
I am originally from Oaxaca, a beautiful state in the south of Mexico.
What brought you to the Kingston area and keeps you in this area?
The thing that brought us to Kingston is my father’s job back in 90’s. We had just gotten here from Mexico and we fell in love with Kingston right away. Everything was just so green and clean, and all that you need is close by, from stores to doctors. You never have to leave town, and it’s so peaceful. We loved it.
What is your favorite hangout in this area and why?
My favorite hang out place is Wilcox park in Red Hook. Its great that you can do anything from swimming to camping. My kids love it they never want to leave
When you’re not in Kingston, what’s your idea of a wonderful city to
visit, and why?
My favorite city, of course, is my hometown Oaxaca. It’s such a magical place. You can visit ancient ruins like Monte Alban or Mitla, visit the oldest tree in the world, go the different beaches (one of them voted the best beach to surf in the world called Puerto Escondido), or go to all the different small towns full of tradition. The fact is that you will never run out of things to do there.
Tell us something that we never would have guessed about you.
One thing that you would have never guessed about me, is that I have lived here for almost all my life. So come on in to our store. I speak English and would be more then happy to help you with what ever you need.
