As Scene reported in July, there are Hispanics living in Ohio (
"Superior Americans," July 18). And as comments on the story confirmed, a whole bunch of people wish there weren’t. Nevertheless, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Ohio is banking on a really strange hunch: that Ohioans want to find these people, and, like, give them money.
The HCOC has tackled the task of publishing a Hispanic Business Directory for Northeast Ohio, listing only Latino-owned businesses. Its goal isn’t only to advertise to Hispanic customers, but gringos as well — let’s not forget those handy mandated minority contract quotas. Guanic Construction company is only too happy to fill that promenade contract, and the HCOC aims to help you, Mr. Contractor, find it and, most likely, talk it into letting you use the company as a front while your white dudes actually do all the work.
How handy!
There are a whole bunch of less illegal uses, too. Clevelanders can find a Spanish-speaking lawyer here (Abogado Torres-Lugo), a Latin American travel agency (Torres & Son Travel), and even a Latino prosthetics supplier (Garcia Prosthetics), should you happen to tumble into a Latino scrap metal processor (JB1 Scrap Processors, Inc.). The restaurant section alone makes the booklet worth having — sometimes you want some enchiladas not rolled by a Swede (no offense, Lopez Bar and Grill).
Once it’s complete, the Chamber will put the directory on
its website. If you want one sent to you in the meantime, contact them at 216-281-4422. To list your business, free of charge, in the directory, call program manager Pedro Lontor at 216-443-7279. --
Gus Garcia-Roberts
