THERE'S A NEW GROCER IN TOWN. Menomonie officially welcomed its only Mexican grocery store with a ribbon-cutting event in November.

After living in Menomonie for over a decade, local Juan Lozano couldn’t overlook the obvious any longer: No Mexican grocers were closer than roughly 20 miles of town. An “international” or “Mexican” aisle at a big box store wasn’t going to cut it either, but who would fill the void? Enter: La Veracruzana Mexican Grocery Store.

La Veracruzana Mexican Grocery Store (2521 Hills Court B, Menomonie) held its grand opening and ribbon-cutting on Friday, Nov. 17, bringing in folks who hadn’t already perused its shelves stocked with favorites like Tiky and Jarrito sodas, Rancheritos and Betamex snacks, and non-food items like piñatas, dishware, and more. But La Veracruzana’s story has been in progress for longer than just the past few weeks or even months. Really, La Veracruzana’s story began with Lozano.

“God’s been good to us, and the reason we have this is because someone took a chance. it's time to show people we're here.”

JUAN Lozano

OWNER OF LA Veracruzana MEXICAN GROCERY STORE

Lozano moved to Menomonie about 12 years ago and has since gotten married, had children, and continued a career in construction. Before putting down roots in the Chippewa Valley, Lozano lived in Chicago for over a decade and originally hails from Veracruz, Mexico. He recalled his first job in the U.S., working food service at an Arby’s, and experience as a general manager before getting into construction. Over the years, Lozano found the common thread between each career path to be the people.

“I came (to the U.S.) when I was 16 and began working, learning how to do things here, and I learned I love to talk to customers,” Lozano said. “I love customer service and I did it for about 20 years in Chicago. … I do construction for a living, but I saw there was a chance to fill a need in Menomonie, something like a Spanish store.”

With about two months under the belt already, La Veracruzana has seen great community turnout, and it’s just the beginning. Lozano said he also hopes to operate a small kitchen in the store, mostly for take-out orders, with a limited menu spanning staples like tacos and tortes served with house-made tortillas and bread.

Owner Juan Lozano

“(For) anybody who is Spanish and South American, and locals who love Mexican food, there was a good opportunity here (to open a Mexican grocery store),” Lozano said. “A lot of people don’t have the chance or time to travel to Eau Claire for something like this, or don’t speak English and it can be hard to shop; La Veracruzana is exactly what I was hoping it would be.”

“My wife was born and raised in Menomonie, and we believe in working hard. I don’t feel bad when I go to work, I like to work and don’t complain,” Lozano said. “God’s been good to us, and the reason we have this is because someone took a chance. It’s time to show people we’re here.”

Hosting its grand opening event with the Menomonie Chamber of Commerce was another avenue to get the word out about La Veracruzana, which open seven days a week: 10am-8pm Monday-Saturday and 10am-6pm on Sunday.

Learn more at La Veracruzana’s website and visit 2521 Hills Court B, Menomonie • Keep up with the grocer on Facebook • Call with questions at (715) 505-1659