Sunday's Cinco de Mayo might have been a day of revelry across San Antonio, but it also spun the spotlight onto something more lasting: local Hispanic businesses. As the maracas and fiesta flags waved, San Antonio's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce took the chance to underscore the importance of patronizing the city's Hispanic-owned businesses — a turn that was equal parts celebration and a call to action for economic solidarity.
The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce used the occasion to champion these homegrown establishments. "We're advocating for our member businesses, we’re pushing them, promoting them, helping make those introductions so they can improve their mobility to grow their businesses and really it's about serving Hispanic businesses, Hispanics in business and businesses that serve Hispanics," Steven Alaniz, the chamber's chairman, pointed out in an interview with FOX San Antonio.
Meanwhile, new local joints like Barrio Dogs are popping up, infusing the economy and keeping traditions alive. "Our business is a business that celebrates the art, history, and culture of low riding so I think it’s very important that we celebrate culture in general. Like, if everyone plays their part, I think that's how we keep momentum, we keep the celebration going," Pablo Rios, owner of Barrio Dogs, told FOX San Antonio. The recent opening of his restaurant coincided with Cinco de Mayo festivities, hammering home the message of cultural significance interwoven with economic growth.
As San Antonians enjoyed festivities from Market Square to the Thirsty Horse Dance Hall & Saloon, the discrete message remained: support your local Hispanic businesses. It's not just about a single day of the year; it's an ongoing commitment that can enrich communities in ways that extend well beyond the buzz of a fiesta or the clink of a cantarito glass. Supporting local Hispanic businesses, as touted by Alaniz and those like Rios, is a move that ensures money stays circulating within the local economy, thus fostering growth and employment – San Antonio style.
And, speaking of local style, the city's celebrations for Cinico de Mayo weren't just concentrated on business advocacy. Revelers had a spicy array of choices for enjoyment, as detailed by the San Antonio Express-News. From arts and crafts at the Market Square to conjuring up creativity with “paintings and palomas” at the Bang Bang Bar, there was no shortage of ways to commemorate the day with a dash of Mexicana and a helping of local enterprise.
