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One-Stop shopping

For Mexican Americans,
Los Cuates Market has it all

By Cristina García
Adelante staff writer

Alisa Booze
Troetschel/Adelante
Co-owners Marcela and Sergio Barona, middle and right, help Zeneyda Navarro find a phone card at Los Cuates Latin Market. Chatting with her customers is Marcela Barona's favorite part of running the business.

Fresh Mexican sweet breads arrive daily from Las Palmas bakery in St. Louis. Homemade pork, beef and chicken tamales are on hand on select Saturdays. In little more than 750 square feet, Los Cuates Latin Market brings a bit of Mexico to mid-Missouri.
In one stop, customers can cash a paycheck; send a portion of it to family in Mexico; rent a Spanish language film; pick up fresh cheese, chorizo, and locally produced tortillas; and grab a phone card from behind the counter.
Owners Sergio and Marcela Barona, originally from Cali, Colombia, saw a need they could fill. The couple has been in Columbia for two and a half years. After spending a year in Florida, they moved to Columbia so Sergio could train Paso Fino horses. After winning the 1999 Paso FinoWorld Cup, he was offered a job training Paso Finos in Eolia, Missouri. Marcela started working for Servimex money exchange as a sales representative; it was through her travels with Servimex that the idea for Los Cuates was born. They saved money for two months and on Oct. 3, 2003, the couple opened up shop at 2515 Bernadette Drive.

  mexican kitchen classics

Menudo: A hearty, spicy soup made with tripe (stomach lining), calf’s feet, green chiles, hominy and seasonings. Garnish with lime juice, green chiles and onion. It is served hot with tortillas.
Horchata: A cold drink made of rice, almonds, cinnamon (canela), lime zest and sugar.
Tamarindo: The sticky brown pulp of tamarind tree pods, used to make candies, drinks and condiments. The market carries many varieties of tamarindo candies.
Jarritos: A Mexican soft drink. Los Cuates offers it in pineapple, lemon, and mandarin orange.
Agua de jamaica: Hibiscus-steeped beverage sweetened with sugar.
Mole: A sauce usually served with poultry. There are many variations, some including Mexican chocolate. Most have ground seeds, onion, garlic and chiles.
Atole: A warm drink made of corn masa.
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“The community response is better every month,” Marcela said. Customers come and go throughout the day, but not before small talk and a laugh with the owner. Her face beams as she counts bills back to customers, and they are equally ecstatic about the services she and her husband provide.
Kristi Carroll heard about the market from a friend.
“I wanted to make enchiladas and needed Mexican cheese,” Carroll said, holding up her finds.
“I’m a happy camper — I’m from Texas, and we eat a lot of Mexican food. I’ll definitely come back,” Carroll said.
Aside from the Mexican food standbys such as pozole (hominy), cajeta (caramel), canned peppers and horchata, Los Cuates offers products that are deeply rooted in Mexican culture. Baptismal gowns and first communion accessories are must-have items for Mexican Catholics. Piñatas and CDs by Mexican artists such as Alejandro Fernández and Cuisillos bring a piece of home to Columbia. The comfortable space is decorated with brightly colored plastic flags. In one corner of the store, a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe sits next to a lighted candle. Next to the register is a community bulletin board.
While they have only been open five months, Los Cuates already has a devoted following.
“It’s a great store,” Rubén Zavala and Mario Martínez agree. They come in about three times a week. The two men drop off a few videos and rent a couple more.
“The best thing about the store is the video rental,” Zavala said. “I also like being able to send money and buy phone cards.” Los Cuates offers a selection of about 100 movies. Movies like “La Raza de Michoacán” and “Traficantes de la Sierra” can be rented for two days for $2 or can be purchased for $6.99.
The clientele has been growing. Marcela says word of mouth has been their best form of marketing.
“People come in from Sedalia and Jefferson City, and it is because our customers tell their friends and family,” Marcela said.
The Baronas hope to open a restaurant in the back of the store in the next few months and would eventually like to have the space to offer more variety.

 


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