The COVID-19 pandemic slowed down this Los Angeles night market, but it’s rebounding. You’ll find tacos, pizza and more.On a recent Friday afternoon, at the Que Rico Pica stand, the 32-year-old poured a secret sauce over dozens of red, white and blue Airhead Bites candies. Ybarra made sure they were moist before sheHer red canopy tent backed up against the corrugated metal of L.A. Cabinet & Millwork Inc.
There’s no formal site plan, but as Danny Munguía, head chef of Felice Italian Catering, will tell you, “people’s spot really depends on how long they’ve been showing up here to sell.” After his business took a near-fatal hit, Munguía has sold pizza close to Avenue 33 for the last three months. He went from selling 100 pizzas in a day before the pandemic to only 15 to 20.He drives with his son from Torrance to sell at the market Friday through Sunday.
Neighbors looked out for the couple and in return, Luna would give them leftover corn. People called her idea of adding a Hot Cheetos topping a “locura,” crazy. And so their business’ name was born:They were there most weeks for years. Then, two of their children contracted COVID-19 and landed in the hospital. In January, they lost their adult daughter. The next month, a son.Paulina Luna left, and her husband, Abelardo Arroyo, middle, at their “Esquites Locos/Crazy Corn” booth.
They’ve found comfort among vendors they’ve known for years. One of them gave Luna an LED sign for the stall that flashes “crazy corn.” The couple joined in when vendors sang “Las Mañanitas” — a traditional birthday song — to the woman selling pupusas who has become a close friend of Luna’s.
A Call to Protect the Nature! Thread to watch/read: