Tiende La Estrella offers up Hispanic foods in South Side

Lucy Timmerman has wanted her own retail grocery store for years. After working for so many big-box retailers and grocers, the Queretara, Mexico, native finally got her wish.

Tiende La Estrella, named after her daughter, opened more than a month ago in St. Joseph's South Side.

While catering to a Hispanic culture with its Spanish labels and original pan bread, Ms. Timmerman says that a variety of people have walked through her door.

"A lot of people come in for the spices," from dried chile peppers to seeds and powders, said her husband, Albert Timmerman.

The first month, Ms Timmerman said, business was slow, but she contends that traffic is growing every week.

The store, located at 6118 King Hill Ave., offers canned foods, tortillas, freezer items and even clothing, including blankets and jeans.

While the supply of nonfood items hasn't completely arrived yet, the Timmermans hope to stock up on their goods while planning on extending their hours and adding a kitchen to serve hot burritos and tacos for the lunch crowd.

The Timmermans moved to St. Joseph from Dumas, Texas, last year. The couple works at Triumph Foods.

Ms. Timmerman's 16-year-old daughter, Estrella Talamantes, comes to the store after school every day to stock shelves and greet customers. A cousin, Lorena Sotelo, helps run the store during the day. "When it's done it'll just be a family business," said Mr. Timmerman, who has spent 38 years in the meatpacking business.

This is the second Mexican grocery store to locate in the South Side. Tiende Mexicano opened last year, also on King Hill Avenue.