Mag Mile store Colores Mexicanos a 'dream come true' for immigrant owners and partner

CHICAGO -- Sisters Leti and Ericka Espinosa and their partner, Gabriel Neely-Streit, never dreamed they would own an iconic retail business on Chicago's magnificent mile. Their store, Colores Mexicanos, sells handmade ceramics, textiles and fine art in partnership with over 100 artisans from all over Mexico.

"It's not just a store; it's an experience," Ericka Espinosa said. "It's like an adventure every day."

Walking into the store is a head-turning experience that mesmerizes customers with vibrant colors and eye-popping art. Neely-Streit said the sisters have taught him a lot about Mexican culture, helping him realize the importance of the store for visitors to the Windy City.

"Erika and Leti are role models for me," Neely-Streit said. "Chicago is probably the most important Mexican-American city in the Midwest. So, we receive a lot of people who don't have a broader understanding of the culture than maybe the one Mexican restaurant in their hometown."

Their journey to selling wares on Michigan Avenue started years earlier in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, where the sisters sold imported textiles and ceramics from their personal collection.

Immigrating from Mexico city with an education in business management but few job opportunities, Ericka Espinosa said she was encouraged to venture into the cultural retail space by her sister, Leti.

"She said, 'You have to do it,'" Espinosa said. "It's just a message for everybody; you have to be brave. You have to be a very hardworking person, but, at the end, you can do everything you want."

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The pair and Neely-Streit soon won a spot selling their wares on Chicago's Riverwalk through an initiative to bring minority-owned businesses to the heart of the city.

"Very huge opportunity to get your first little store downtown," Espinosa said. "It's important for the city, for Chicago, where we are the biggest minority in the city, to have spaces like this to represent our culture."

After finding success on the Riverwalk, a call from the city made them aware of an open space on Michigan Avenue, already equipped with ready-to-use displays and furniture.

"It was like a dream come true for us," Espinosa said. "This place was amazing."

In addition to their Riverwalk and Mag Mile location, the team also runs Cocobar, a city concession selling food right along the river. It's a bright, pink spot for tourists from all over the world to discover Mexican cuisine and culture in the heart of the city.

For more information on Colores Mexicanos, visit coloresmexicanoschicago.com.