How a tiny Mexican art store in one of NYC's priciest neighborhoods has thrived for 20 years despite skyrocketing rents

Oct 7, 2019, 20:02 IST

The store immediately welcomes customers into a celebration of Mexican culture.

The wide array of decor, clothing, and art evoke what it's like to walk into a gift shop in Mexico.

Leor is a self-proclaimed shopaholic, but only when buying for her store.

The moment customers walk in, Leor jumps up to show them around and teach them about Mexican culture.

Leor taught one woman about the Mexican symbols and traditions of the pieces she liked.

A costume designer came in to find Mexican dresses for a play.

La Sirena is celebrating 20 years in business this year, but Leor started collecting Mexican art much earlier.

Leor became a carpenter and art therapist. She made trips back to Mexico any chance she had.

Most of all, she loved visiting artisans and buying their pieces to take back home.

In New York, people stopped her on the street to ask about her mercado bags.

Leor collected so much art that one of the rooms in her home became a storage space.

'I'd never thought of having a store. Ever.'

Leor didn't have much knowledge about building a business, but what someone may see as a disadvantage, she sees as her advantage.

On one of her buying trips to Mexico, Leor spent $9,000 on 11 crates of art she shipped to the US.

About a year later, Leor found a real estate company looking for first-time store owners who couldn't afford spaces on their own.

With 10 crates of products left in her apartment, she didn't need to go back to Mexico before opening.

Hiring and managing employees is one of Leor's biggest challenges.

Owning a Mexican folk-art store, Leor feels an obligation to hire Spanish-speaking employees.

Affording rent in New York City has been a persistent battle for Leor.

Her rent increases each year, but Leor said she'll likely stay because the rents in other parts of New York City are so exorbitant.

When Leor struggles financially, her strategy is to have big sales.

Community and art events also help boost her sales.

Leor has noticed other stores in the area closing.

She couldn't pinpoint what's kept her store going, but said she doesn't know of any stores like hers that carry the same variety.

Advertising isn't worth the extra money for her, so Leor relies on social media and a 5,000-person email list to market her sales and events.

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How a tiny Mexican art store in one of NYC's priciest neighborhoods has thrived for 20 years despite skyrocketing rents

The store immediately welcomes customers into a celebration of Mexican culture.

The wide array of decor, clothing, and art evoke what it's like to walk into a gift shop in Mexico.

Leor is a self-proclaimed shopaholic, but only when buying for her store.

The moment customers walk in, Leor jumps up to show them around and teach them about Mexican culture.

Leor taught one woman about the Mexican symbols and traditions of the pieces she liked.

A costume designer came in to find Mexican dresses for a play.

La Sirena is celebrating 20 years in business this year, but Leor started collecting Mexican art much earlier.

Leor became a carpenter and art therapist. She made trips back to Mexico any chance she had.

Most of all, she loved visiting artisans and buying their pieces to take back home.

In New York, people stopped her on the street to ask about her mercado bags.

Leor collected so much art that one of the rooms in her home became a storage space.

'I'd never thought of having a store. Ever.'

Leor didn't have much knowledge about building a business, but what someone may see as a disadvantage, she sees as her advantage.

On one of her buying trips to Mexico, Leor spent $9,000 on 11 crates of art she shipped to the US.

About a year later, Leor found a real estate company looking for first-time store owners who couldn't afford spaces on their own.

With 10 crates of products left in her apartment, she didn't need to go back to Mexico before opening.

Hiring and managing employees is one of Leor's biggest challenges.

Owning a Mexican folk-art store, Leor feels an obligation to hire Spanish-speaking employees.

Affording rent in New York City has been a persistent battle for Leor.

Her rent increases each year, but Leor said she'll likely stay because the rents in other parts of New York City are so exorbitant.

When Leor struggles financially, her strategy is to have big sales.

Community and art events also help boost her sales.

Leor has noticed other stores in the area closing.

She couldn't pinpoint what's kept her store going, but said she doesn't know of any stores like hers that carry the same variety.

Advertising isn't worth the extra money for her, so Leor relies on social media and a 5,000-person email list to market her sales and events.