Today we’d like to introduce you to Zaira, Luis, German, and Stephanie Hernandez.
Hello Zaira, Luis, German, and Stephanie, thanks for sharing your story. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
Welcome to Catalina’s Michoacana. Our names are Zaira, Luis, German, and Stephanie, and we’re the owners. Everything started with Zaira’s bright idea to bring a Michoacana to the Central Minnesota area. What is a Michoacana ice cream shop? That is a question we get a lot! It is an ice cream shop that all began in Mexico, where many childhood memories began when we begged our parents to take us to The Michoacána because we wanted ice cream or snacks. You can find unique ice cream flavors, popsicles, fresh-flavored waters, and many snacks here. It’s not your typical ice cream shop in the US, even though it might sound like it. We began this journey by trying to find the right name for the business. We believed finding a name was very important because we wanted something unique and meaningful for all of us. We certainly knew Michoacana had to be part of the name, as it is known for being an ice cream shop. We also decided to add Catalina. Catalina is Luis, Zaira’s daughter, and Stephanie is German’s goddaughter. Catalina is also the name of Luis’s German grandma, who recently passed away. So we only saw it as the perfect fit to name the business “Catalina’s Michoacana!”
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Where do we even start on this topic? Getting to this point has been challenging, especially since opening a Michoacana was a must for us. Especially around St. Cloud because anything similar to Catalina’s is down to the cities. We began to look for the right location; we searched everywhere and tried to find the most affordable location, and let me tell you guys, that took work! After COVID, everything just got expensive, and rent was definitely one of them, but luckily, we thought we had found the right place. We began to talk to the landlord, and everything sounded like it would go our way. We turned in all paperwork to the landlord, as well as all the applications that would be necessary. After a week, we got a call that the landlord didn’t approve our applications, and negotiating was not a thing for them then. We felt that our dream had just collapsed, and everything was going downhill. When you get bad news, many things go through your mind, and yes, giving up is one of them. It took some time for us to get up and start searching for another place, but we got up and began to work even harder. After months, we found another place, we submitted the applications, and within a week, we were approved. Finally! We thought it would be all smooth sailing from there, but it wasn’t. Working on city limits and any commercial space requires much work and permits. Dealing with the state for any plumbing permits was also a big challenge. Remodeling started a month and a half after signing the lease agreement. Many more obstacles got in the way during the remodel, but we got through them with hard work and dedication. We’ve learned many lessons throughout this process; being patient and asking questions were a few. As well as saying good things come to those who wait!
We’ve been impressed with Catalina’s Michoacana, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
Our names are Zaira, Luis, German, and Stephanie, and we’re the owners.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
In the next 5-10 years, we want to be well-established and well-known within the St. Cloud community and the surrounding towns. We want to be able to attend as many events as possible, especially throughout the summer, since we have such a short summer in Minnesota. Purchasing a food truck is the ideal setup for any event; this way, we’ll bring as many items from our menu as possible, allowing the newcomers to pick from a more extensive selection! If we can offer the option to cater for family gatherings, that would be such a fun idea, anything as small as birthday parties to as big as weddings! We know it might take some time, but by working hard, we plan to franchise our business in other towns to allow others to taste our delicious treats.
Pricing:
- Mangonada M $8.00 L $9.50
- Fresas con crema M $8.00 L $9.00
- Tostilocos/Dorilocos $10.00
- Esquite S $5.99 M $ 6.99
- Paletas Agua $3.50 Leche $3.75
Contact Info:
- Website: https://catalinasmichoacana.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090091161622
