One young woman is determined to pave the way for the success of Latino-owned businesses in Oklahoma City. Sonia Ruiz, 19, took it upon herself to create an online business directory called Shop Latino OKC. More than 450 Latino-owned businesses are listed on the website, but it goes beyond a simple set of bullet points; Ruiz includes the option to send messages and view listings on each company, while highlighting female-owned businesses, as well.
“The main goal of Shop Latino OKC is to provide a one-stop website to be able to find all the Latino-owned businesses of all varieties in the OKC metro,” she said. “My website also includes all different kinds of businesses, ranging from food and dining to lawyers and home services.”
This website is a brilliant idea brought to life: a place where Oklahoma City’s Latino community can expand its successes and develop relationships with other Oklahomans at the click of a mouse. However, Ruiz’s genius doesn’t stop there. With a Facebook group of more than 850 community members, anyone is welcome to post questions or provide recommendations for the business owners of OKC’s Latino community.
OKC residents can also now support one another by visiting Shop Latino OKC’s pop-up market. Food trucks, music, shopping and drinks will be available on the second Sunday of every month from July to November. Located next to the Yale Theater in Historic Capitol Hill, the market will be a place to explore and purchase the gifts that Latino-owned businesses have to offer from 4-9 pm.
“The Latino community has grown substantially in the last two decades,” Ruiz said, “allowing for a vast and beautiful community to grow that many people do not know about. Our mission with Shop Latino OKC is to bridge the Latino community with the rest of the OKC metro by making it easier to support Latino-owned businesses.”
Check out shoplatinookc.com for more information.
