Local businesses and restaurants showcase Chicano and Latino culture in Barrio Logan
By: Destiny Esparza
SAN DIEGO - In the heart of Barrio Logan, there are many local Latino and Chicano businesses and restaurants that showcase their cultures. However, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of their businesses and restaurants struggled to stay afloat.
Claudia Rodriguez owner of Sew Loka decided to do something about it.
She gathered all the local businesses and restaurants together to create Walk The Block an event that brings the Barrio Logan community together every Saturday to support their businesses and restaurants across the street of Logan Avenue.
Walk the Block has since become a success in not only bringing and creating a safe space for the Barrio Logan community, but also highlighting local Latino and Chicano businesses and restaurants.
Caption for above image: Simon Limón founder, Alexandra, talks to customers about her homemade jewelry. Photo was taken on Oct. 29 by Destiny Esparza.
Local Businesses
On Logan Avenue, there are an array of different businesses that creates a unique experience each time you go into a shop. You will find Sew Loka, a sustainable streetwear clothing brand to Libelula Bookstore & Co. that provides books for BIPOC and Queer communities. There are also other businesses like Mal Bicho that showcase art work and Simon Limon that sells homemade jewelry by owner Alexandra Demma.
Many of the items sold in these stores are created by Chicanas and Latinas that cater/represent Chicano and Latino culture.
"There's real beauty and magic when I just open the doors and allow this space, energy, and people to create magic on their own. " - Jessi Gutierrez
Jesi Gutierrez (right) talks to customer, Jacob (left), about their current book reads at Libelula Bookstore and Co. Photo taken on Nov. 29 by Destiny Esparza.
Restaurants
Alongside the businesses on Logan Avenue, there are also restaurants that showcase Chicano and Latino culture through food. Oftentimes you will see food vendors like Apaa Churros and different taco stands that sell authentic Mexican or Latino cuisines. You also see restaurants like Carritos and Salud! that also display Chicano and Latino culture with their art and design of the restaurants to the food itself.
Carritos is a breakfast and lunch restaurant that sells chilaquiles, omelets, tortas, and more on Logan Avenue. Photo was taken on Dec. 3 by Destiny Esparza.
Customers sit in the outside dining area of Carrito's waiting for their food to arrive on Dec. 3. Photo taken by Destiny Esparza.
Salud! is a Mexican restaurant located on Logan Avenue that takes on Mexican classic dishes, but with a Chicano twist. Photo was taken on Dec. 3 by Destiny Esparza.
Customers sit and eat Saluds! well-known tacos as a DJ plays classic Spanish music outside the patio area at Salud! Photo was taken on Dec. 3 by Destiny Esparza.
While waiting in line to order food, customers can see the chefs prepare and make food at Salud! Photo was taken on Dec. 3 by Destiny Esparza.
Overall, the Barrio Logan community has created and captured a safe space to showcase Latinidad, which not many Latinos get the opportunity experience.
People from the Barrio Logan community as well as outside of the community can find clothes, jewelry, books, art, food, and more that are not only made by Latinos and Chicanos but are created for the Latino and Chicano communities. This allows people within these communities to feel a sense of belonging and demonstrate that Latino and Chicano cultures do matter.
Information and resources
To help support San Diego local businesses, here is a link to a website called Local Media San Diego that lists businesses all around San Diego.
To learn more about the importance of supporting small businesses in San Diego, here is a study done by San Diego Regional EDC that looks at San Diego's small business ecosystem.