offers an experience a world away from its retail neighbors.
Colores Mexicanos got its start five years ago in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood, where sisters Erika Espinosa Cruz and Leti Espinosa along with family friend and business partner Gabriel Neely-Streit began selling Mexican artisan items at neighborhood markets and even in the Espinosa backyard. The Espinosa sisters and Neely-Streit had built a thriving small business when they learned the city was seeking cultural vendors to set up shop on the Riverwalk. Colores Mexicanos nabbed a coveted spot there last summer, and Espinosa Cruz says the warm response they received inspired them to approach the city with an even more ambitious proposal.
“When people come into the store, they feel very different vibes. They say all the time that they feel happy and like they are in another place very far away from Chicago,” said Espinosa Cruz. “One of the benefits of this space, because they put these beautiful lights and windows, is we can show more about the diversity of our culture.”