Mercado Mexicano
by February 17, 2003 12:00 am 88 views
Ben Israel and Larry and Anna Bouchet have been busy converting part of Springdale’s Signature Square shopping center to serve the area’s Hispanic population.
Mercado Mexicano, a 20,000-SF Mexican market, opened there on Feb. 8. Its vendors sell a wide variety of goods ranging from baby clothes to cowboy boots. Larry said the market isn’t just for Hispanics: Anyone is welcome to shop there.
Bouchet said part of the market is being used as an incubator to help people start their own businesses. Classes will be taught there to help people learn about the financial aspects of doing business in the United States.
Phase II of the Mercado Mexicano project will take up 15,000 SF of the shopping center and include a restaurant. Phase III will provide 30,000 SF for more shops.
Bouchet said he and Israel plan to open a 7,000-SF grocery store at Signature Square within the next two months. La Piniata will have a baker, butcher and tortilla maker.
A bilingual preschool called Angels is also in the plans. Ron Belcher is involved with that project along with Bouchet and Israel. Angels will serve 175 kids.
Down the road, Bouchet and Israel plan to build a bilingual coffee shop and a theater to show Spanish-language films.
Larry Bouchet retired last year from his job as president of the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad Co. Israel owns Signature Square.
The Hispanic population in the Washington-Benton county area rocketed 815.1 percent from 2,885 in 1990 to 26,401 in 2000. The overall two-county population increased just 47.5 percent from 210,108 to 311,121.