la tiendita de la esquina

​When I was a little girl, I loved going to the little store that was just around the corner. If you grew up in Mexico, you know what I am talking about: “La tiendita de la esquina.” My mom used to send me and my brothers to get fresh corn tortillas to the “tortilleria” and if we had any money left, we could stop at Don Pepe’s store. His little store had all the candy we liked, especially candy with chili, spicy chips, sodas, gum, and all kinds of junk food! He had good things too, but for us little kids going to his store meant getting all the candy we could afford!
I moved to the USA in my late twenties, and ever since, I am always on the look for Mexican Markets. Usually, you can find Mexican markets in the big cities in the USA, but when you are in Northeast Pennsylvania, where most of the population is from the Dominican Republic, all you find are “bodegas” with a lot of “Goya” brand products I don’t use. I have very good friends from that country, and I learned that they hardly eat spicy food, so when I went to a ‘bodega,’ I couldn’t find my candy with chili.
A former coworker of my husband told me about this Mexican grocery store, and I went to visit right away! The store is cozy, clean, organized and has all the candy with chili I like! They even have a small bakery section, Mexican sodas, spicy chips, and many more Mexican brands. I talked to the owner of “Espinoza’s Deli & Grocery” and he told me he has been open for the last seven years. Say what!? I have lived in the area for the last three years and I have only found this store. But better late than never.
Something that it’s truly amazing for me is that no matter where you go in the USA, but especially if you live in a small town, you can always somehow find a Mexican entrepreneur that has a restaurant or a grocery store. To them I want to sa​y: “Thank you.” I invite you to say thank you and support these entrepreneurs that work hard every day to bring a little piece of Mexico to your table.
p.s. I am not getting paid to recommend this store, I just like to share information for others to have.