By Mey Lyn Mitteenn /El Pasajero-Metro
09 Dec 2023, 01:30 AM EST
If you’re looking for gifts, there’s a place in East Los Angeles with a wide variety of items.
This is Goddess Mercado, a pop-up that offers clothing, jewelry, rugs, books, paintings, pet clothing, candles, bags, shoes, soaps and much more. It takes place every second Saturday of the month and you can get there by taking the Metro E line to the East LA Civic Center station.
The place that hosts on average 50 vendors each month will bring together more than 100 entrepreneurs this Saturday, December 9, starting at 10:00 am, after a partnership with New Economics for Women. Goddess Mercado’s focus is to promote women’s entrepreneurship and create community.
Berenice Calderón, who participated in the last event, says that Goddess Mercado is a great option to make your brand known, talk with other entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and create a network of contacts.
Her business, Ava’s Shop, specializes in customizing items, ranging from mugs and tumblers to shirts and Christmas decorations. “People ask for designs with the Rams, Riders and Chargers logo a lot.”
He says that it all started a year ago when it occurred to him to place the photo of his brother and his grandfather, who had passed away, inside a Christmas sphere.
“When my brother saw it he was very excited. The family started placing orders for me and suddenly, the orders came out,” says Calderón. In just months, she created a website and an Instagram account to promote it.
“Online business is convenient, but places like Goddess Mercado help expand your brand.”
Mobile boutique
Celia Quezada, who also participated in Goddess Mercado, has a mobile boutique where she sells Mexican clothing, as well as toys, tequileras, rugs and nativity scenes. “Everything at a very good price,” she exclaims.
The Los Angeles native says she chose to sell products with Mexican designs because it is important to maintain her culture — another of the place’s goals.
“My parents are from Jalisco and I love my roots. It is something that gives me joy and makes me feel identified… I feel that here each saleswoman celebrates her culture with each business.”
A few steps away is Elizabeth Paravicini, who teaches art to children in kindergarten through eighth grade Monday through Friday. On weekends she sets up tables, canvases and paints under a tent where she encourages children and parents to paint.
“I love Wonder Woman because she is a strong character who goes in search of justice and truth,” says Paravicini, who found a way to express herself in drawing and painting since she was 13 years old.
“I think children need inspiration and a positive role… Pop-ups like this mean that the little ones can also have a safe space to recreate… I invite you to come support your community.”
How it all started?
Goddess Mercado is about to turn three years old and was founded by Diana Diaz, who was born and raised in East Los Angeles.
“My parents are from Jalisco, Mexico. They didn’t speak English, so they decided to launch their blanket and pillow business at a swap meet,” she says. She adds that she went with them and that was how she learned about sewing.
“During those years at the swap meet we made friends and helped each other. I wanted to recreate that same feeling of bringing my saleswoman friends together, shaking hands, living together and having a pleasant atmosphere,” she explains.
Many of the vendors at Goddess Mercado have a full-time job, are single mothers or work at home, but they have something in common: they try to grow their business. Therefore, this space is not just a place, but it means an opportunity for women to achieve their financial goal.
Díaz is the owner of Mexichic Crafts, a business that offers leather bags, jackets, shoes and hats and that she takes to Goddess Mercado every month. The entrepreneur says that several businesses start with pop-ups. “I hope that my brand becomes known.” And it is, she has more than 15,000 followers on Instagram and her sense of fashion doesn’t stop.
He adds that at the monthly event there is also live music for entertainment. “I invite you to come this Saturday, to see the products there and to promote the culture… It is important to support each other as a community because that creates opportunities for us to move forward.”