Today we’d like to introduce you to Lourdez Monjaraz.
Hi Lourdez, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Tsopelli Bakery’s journey began in 2008. Out of necessity, my mom started a little food stand at our local flea market, bringing my older sister and me to sell her homemade Gorditas de Nata, a delicious Mexican Artisanal milk soft cookie. We started with packaged goods; then it was our mom’s idea to turn Gorditas de Nata into something that could be opened and filled with a variety of fillings. We’d make our Gorditas fresh on a skillet, fill on the go, and thankfully they became a hit! The journey was not without its challenges, before Tsopelli there was Trigo Miel, a brick-and-mortar we opened in 2018, and just as it was picking up, unfortunately, the Pandemic happened, rent still had to be paid, and eventually had to close. We still had hope; my parents owned a small corner property in our childhood neighborhood, we poured our heart and soul into renovating that space. Now, I’m happy to say we’ve opened up our brick-and-mortar in the Northside of Houston this year. A little bakery where we combine the delicious flavors of Mexico with a modern twist. Tsopelli has evolved so much from our little food stand, where it has become my own personal love letter to my community in Houston. We have had the opportunity to give back to our community, sharing love and joy one gordita at a time! From my early teenage years to my now late twenties, I feel incredibly blessed to have shadowed my mom as it has taught me to be determined, hardworking, and most importantly patience.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to opening our brick-and-mortar, Tsopelli Bakery, has been quite a bumpy one! From working at the Flea Market, to then opening up a little storefront 10 years later, then closing, starting over, now having opened, our current shop has had its many challenges. Our first storefront itself took many months to open after permits and many city calls. However, the pandemic in 2020 took a big hit on us as we had to pay rent, light bills, and many other expenses as things were closing down. Then my mom had this amazing idea to use a location they already owned for the storefront. However, neither of us knew what we were getting into. We had countless permits to get approved, including installing an entirely new commercial septic system building a whole new commercial kitchen, all with the pandemic pushing things back. Three years, we struggled, cried, and many times thought of giving up. The Flea Market kept us afloat, and our followers there also motivated us to keep moving forward, and for as long as we can, we will continue there. Honestly, if it wasn’t for my mom’s encouragement and persistence, I don’t think we would have been able to open. We had to keep Echándole ganas!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Tsopelli Bakery, I’ve been able to express myself with our baked goods while showcasing our Mexican heritage. I am a first-generation Mexican American; I love pop culture and through my baked goods I’ve been able to bridge them all by creating themed baked sales, sharing my joy of movies and anime with our followers. It has been so much fun interacting with people with my same interests and I feel so proud seeing their happy faces.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
While it may sound cliche, patience and perseverance was key to opening up Tsopelli Bakery, but also one of the biggest lessons we learned. While my mom and I were trying to open up Tsopelli Bakery, there were delays and many nos but we didn’t give up. Like Confucius says, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tsopelli.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsopelli/
