Today we’d like to introduce you to Arlene Ventura
Hi Arlene, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Mercato and Company is a love story created by a husband and wife team.
We originally founded the business idea out of our love for quality goods and a desire to bring new and international brands to the kitchen and homes in Texas.
We opened Mercato and Company in the Summer of 2021 as an upscale gourmet convenience store tucked behind a gas station in Brownsville.
My husband was given a real estate opportunity with a gas station there. To our surprise the station came with a perfectly preserved vintage auto body shop.
And although we did not know anyone in Brownsville, nor had we ever visited the valley, we went ahead and brought our gourmet store to life there.
Riccardo is Italian born and I am a native New Yorker. Both my parents are from the Dominican Republic. I grew up in upper Manhattan, in Washington Heights. Riccardo and I met in NYC and moved to Italy for several years and later moved to Houston in 2008 for work.
Celebrating our cultures and sharing our love for delicious food is our passion. We both grew up with local bodegas where the community came together to find freshly brewed coffee, delicious snacks, specialty products, local grab and go, fresh produce, staple pantry products and familiar, friendly faces. A place where you often discovered something new to try or just enjoyed being in good company. A place where you could grab and go or just stay a while.
We wanted to recreate a similar space here with Mercato.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We have faced multi-layered challenges as a small, family owned business.
* managing our cashflow has been difficult (cutting costs and prioritizing payments)
* creating continuous and effective marketing campaigns to attract customers (we’ve been doing our own social media)
* facing inflation for international shipping and products (not being able to import certain items)
Our biggest challenge was not being able to be physically present in our Brownsville store.
We live in Houston. This made managing everyday operations difficult and following customer preferences difficult. We would have liked to engage and connect more with our customers there. The city is filled with local talent and greatly support one another.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Mercato and Company is a Mediterranean inspired gourmet grocery store/cafe/wine shop concept.
A unique grocery store where community and convenience bloom.
Think Italian focaccia, paninis, Greek olives, Spanish Paella kits and an exclusive wine and beer selection.
We will have fresh and frozen local chef-prepared grab and go meals, baked goods, charcuterie boards, host gifts, cool kitchen and classic pantry essentials.
Our concept is simple: To bring you the best international, regional and local products in a fun and friendly environment.
As the co owner of Mercato, I specialize in the overall product selection, store presentation, marketing and merchandising.
But really I do a little bit of everything, from operational duties to convincing staff to help me create tik-tok videos.
As a Caribbean Latina woman, I am proud to share my passion with the great city of Houston.
How do you define success?
Success for me is about continuous growth and personal reflections.
It is about learning new skills that can help me to become the best version of myself.
Success is about sharing my gifts and passions with others while doing something that I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mercatoandcompany.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/mercatoandcompany
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mercatoandcompany
Image Credits
Karen Loza
Tom Ortega
