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Meet the Merchant: Multiservicios Latinos shares Peruvian heritage on Kearny Avenue
Published: Thursday, May 10, 2012, 3:03 AM Updated: Thursday, May 10, 2012, 11:16 AM
By Dan Rosenblum/For The Jersey Journal The Jersey Journal
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Enlarge Dan Rosenblum/For The Jersey Journal A grand opening banner hangs in front of the store on Kearny Ave. Dan Rosenblum/For The Jersey Journal Meet the Merchant: Multiservicios in Kearny gallery (9 photos)
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Though the modern vases of Multiservicios Latinos and the grand opening banner already added some color to the shops of Kearny Avenue, inside the price tags were still being put on the inventory of the store, which opened the first day of May.
Business owner Victoria Zavala recently opened the store to share Peruvian heritage by selling decorations, clothing and accessories that range from the strikingly modern vases to traditional accessories.
"We have a little of everything," she said.
Because she is juggling between the new store and her full-time job at Newark Airport, she has her family, including her mother and daughter, helping her work the business and set up the flamboyant inventory.
Some of the pieces are strikingly modern, while some have pastoral drawings that mark the country's colonial past. "They really fall in love because it's not one solid color," said her daughter, Catherine Reyes, 20.
Owner: Victoria Zavala, 38
What kind of business is it? Zavala specializes in Peruvian gifts as well as financial and logistical services like money transfers, shipping and phone cards.
How did the owner get her start? Zavala, who lived in Kearny for 23 years, said she got the idea on a visit to her native Peru, where she saw people interested in the vibrant pottery and designs, but no place in the area to buy them. Before deciding on a store, she connected with an importer and began by selling the products to small groups of people in her friends' homes.
How long has the shop been in business? The shop opened for business on May, 1.
What's inside the business? The store is decorated with art, vases, clothes and other Peruvian specialties. Jackets and T-shirts celebrate Peruvian pride and leather purses come with embedded Manta fabric, often used in Peru for traditional shoulder cloths to carry children.
While the store gets off the ground, Zavala said she was earning money selling phone cards and MoneyGram transfers for the area's burgeoning Hispanic community to send remittances abroad.
What are the price points? Some T-shirts start at $8 and pouches sell for $10-$25. Some tall ceramic vases are $65 and her most expensive item is an elaborate two-foot tall vase for $120. MoneyGram rates depend on the destination country.
What makes the place unique? Zavala said while there are plenty of stores owned by or serving Peruvian immigrants, she hasn't yet seen a place to get home decorations like hers.
Who does the shop cater to? Zavala said the store isn't just for homesick immigrants from Peru. In fact, she's gotten interest from people across the cultural spectrum, including one customer who came on the first day and brought vases with her to Portugal.
What are the owner's plans for the business? Zavala is hoping the store gets off the ground and her unique inventory attracts a solid base of customers.
"They don't sell a lot of stuff like this," she said.
What does the owner like best about the business? Zavala said she's happy to show off Peruvian culture to interested customers or just window shoppers.
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