La Mexicana Market opens on Lexington Avenue; second one in inside a week
For the second time in two weeks, a new market offering Mexican foods has opened on Lexington Avenue.
On April 6, the Mexican Grocery & Ice Cream Davalos Mercado (Spanish for market) celebrated its opening almost on Lexington Avenue.
Friday, the Chamber was back to welcome another new but similar business to the city.
La Mexicana Market celebrated a grand opening and ribbon cutting at 1329 Lexington Ave. in the same plaza as Red Wing shoes/The Shoe Box.
Owners Erik and Cintia Gutierrez and business partners Hector and Gigi Berber welcomed guests and media at 1:30 p.m. to the new business.
Gigi Berber and her husband operate Tacos & Margaritas at the corner of Lexington and Cline avenues.
The market is their latest investment with the Gutierrez family.
Gigi Berber and her husband opened their first restaurant ever in Mansfield − Tacos & Margaritas − where Hector is the cook.
Gigi Berber came to the United States 27 years ago from Mexico and moved to Chicago, later North Carolina and then Columbus with family before moving to Mansfield. The couple's son, Freddy, a fifth grader, is going to St. Peter's School.
Packed with Mexican products, and more to come
The new market is packed with products from Mexico, and the owners plan to add more items from South America and eventually sell meat and fresh produce. Products include dried peppers, old-fashioned Mexican candies, and on weekends, fresh Mexican breads made in Columbus and brought to the new market.
La Mexicana Market has something for everyone, including Mexican beverages, the business partners said.
"It's for regular customers and a place for Mexican restaurants' owners to 'emergency shop,'" Gigi Berber said.
"It is a pleasure for me to make my Mexican dream come true," she said. "I am so blessed."
She said she wanted to thank her restaurant customers.
"Mansfield is such a beautiful town," she said.
The couple decided to open a restaurant 16 months ago in the city because a friend told them how nice Mansfield is.
"We were driving on this street and we found this place (former Slick's restaurant) and we liked it. One month later I signed a contract," Gigi Berber said. "I love my customers."
All the basic ingredients for a successful store
Co-owner Erik Gutierrez said it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to enjoy working in Mansfield. Erik's wife, Cintia, is Hector's sister.
"We have all the basic ingredients, bread, beans, all the basic needs that Hispanics carry in their houses," he said of the market.
Erik Gutierrez operates his own remodeling company in Columbus and he and his wife commute to and from Mansfield. Cintia has worked in Mexican restaurants previously, he said.
"This is a new journey for us and we are excited," he added.
Gigi Berber may be one of Mansfield's biggest fans.
"We are so blessed," she said. "And we promise we will do this with love. This community needs things like this so thank you for letting us do this."
Starting this week, the market will be open 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and Sundays 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Richland County Commissioner Cliff Mears, onhand for the ribbon cutting, said not only can customers buy Mexican goods, but Gigi Berber will "tell you how to mix it up so it will taste like what they have at the green roof," referring to the Tacos and Margaritas restaurant at 228 Lexington Ave.
La Mexicana Market's phone number is 419-775-7890.
lwhitmir@gannett.com
419-521-7223
Twitter: @LWhitmir
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: La Mexicana Market, 1329 Lexington Ave., holds grand opening
