From México to Mexico

The Roses scour the tianguis from Tonalá to Taxco and bring back a touch of their other home to share with customers

By Sara Stoltz and Annie Nelson
Adelante staff writers

Photos by ADAM WILLIAMS/Adelante Kevin and Nereida Rose display their collection of Mexican pottery and art at their store in Mexico, Mo. All pieces, unique in detail and coloring, are handmade.

Passing by Rose’s Leather and Imports in downtown Mexico, Mo., shoppers first notice the colorful sign and artwork displayed in the window. But step inside, and owners Nereida and Kevin Rose immediately transport customers to another country and culture.
The Roses began their business on Dec. 16, after a trip to Mexico to gather ceramics from Tonalá, silver from Taxco, and leather from Leon, as well palm hats, geodes, and sheepskins.
They buy the silver from tianguis, or street markets, in Taxco, a city known for its silver artisans. The ceramics are made by hand and go through an intricate drying process that lasts days. Leather briefcases, jackets, and chaps hang in the store, releasing that new leather smell. Nereida and Kevin said the response to their business has been positive, both from those familiar with Mexican culture and those discovering it for the first time. Customers come from all over the state, and the Roses say that word-of-mouth advertising has been especially effective. “Interior decorators are already starting to come,” Kevin said. He said people looking to decorate their houses in colorful, one-of-a-kind items will spend hours looking through the store.
The Roses lived in Cuauhtémoc, in the Mexican state of Colima, for eight years before moving to Mexico, Mo., in 2003. They were looking for a place with few Latinos, and they happened upon the friendly-sounding town of Mexico. “The census indicated there were no Hispanics in Mexico, Mo.,” Nereida explained. It wasn’t quite true — community members say there are actually nearly 100 Latinos in and around Mexico — but the Latino community is still small.

Colorful masks and Mexican sculptures line the walls at Rose's Leather and Imports. Kevin says these pieces will brighten up any home and lend a Hispanic flair to the decor.

“We didn’t want to be in a Latino area – we wanted to not only sell items from Mexico, but introduce the culture here,” Nereida said.
Indeed, Nereida and Kevin are eager to explain the origin, symbolism, and technique of each piece in their store. They hand out Mexican marzipan candies and show the locations of the various manufacturers on a huge map of Mexico. Nereida has already befriended many from the local Hispanic community, bringing them a taste of home right in mid-Missouri.
“People come in, especially those from Mexico, and ask us to bring them stuff from home,” Nereida said.
In order to appeal to a broader clientele, they want to expand to selling items from South and Central America. “We don’t want to be a ‘Mexican’ store, we want to be a Latin American store,” she said.
Kevin and Nereida owned a vending machine company and sold women’s clothing in Mexico before starting their business in Mexico, Mo. “One advantage of living in Mexico is we got to know a lot of people,” Kevin said. “Good friends of ours hand-cut the stone for the silver, and other friends of ours make the briefcases.” The Roses are planning another buying trip soon, and they wanted to import another trailer of goods in March.
Nereida and Kevin are also planning to have a fiesta when the weather turns warmer, to bring together all of their new friends.
“We want people to have a good time together; we are going to have chicharrones,” Nereida said excitedly, referring to the popular Mexican-style pork skins. “If someone comes in that dances…haaa,” Nereida laughed. “Go ahead and dance.”