(hattiesburgamerican.com) Hispanic-owned restaurants and bars in Mississippi increased roughly from 44 in 1997 to 101 in 2002, said Lee Wentela, chief of the Economic Census Branch. Sales at those firms went from $8.6 million to $32.4 million – a 277 percent increase – in the same period. Nationally, Hispanic-owned establishments grew 38 percent.
The $32.4 million is about 15 percent of the $213 million in reported earnings for Hispanic-owned businesses in Mississippi in 2002, the latest figures available.
Nationwide, Hispanic business have become the largest minority business community with nearly 1.6 million firms pumping $221.9 billion into the U.S. economy, the SBA reported. In Mississippi, there are 1,327 Hispanic-owned businesses compared to 25,004 African-American-owned firms earning $1.3 billion, the 2002 Survey of Business Owners showed.
[...]
Soletai Castro, 24, a MIRA receptionist who is a native of Mexico, said her parents own the Jerusalem Cafe, a Mediterranean eatery in Jackson’s Fondren neighborhood, and El Torero in Flowood. Both opened within the last five years.
She recalls only two or three Mexican restaurants when she moved to the area six years ago, and says there is now new competition. El Torero caters to a more American palate, she said. “American people don’t eat really spicy food.†(more…)
I was shocked to hear from my mom that her home town in South Carolina had received a huge influx of Mexicans over the past few years. I guess I was shocked because growing up, that town was as Black as Black gets for the most part. It’s going to be interesting seeing the change in that town whenever I make the time to visit.
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July 30th, 2007 at 11:12 am
I can second this. There used to be only 1 Mexican restaurant in my town when I first moved about 7 years ago. Now there are 6 and 4 have opened up in the past 2 years and 3 of them in the past year or so. I think that one of them just opened in the past month or so. The crazy part is that 5 of them are on the same street and within about 2 miles of each other.
July 30th, 2007 at 11:59 am
WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA!!
July 30th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
NAW. I am talking about MS and not CA.
On top of that I am talking about a city that only has a population of about 12,000. I do like that you can go to a Mexican restaurant, sit down, eat, get full, pay with a $20 bill, leave a tip, and still get some change back.
July 30th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
I work across the street from the street from a commuter/business station.. When I first started working there 5 years ago, the only hispanic/mexicans were cleaning up the place. Now, from the SBARRO, Popeyes, Dunkin Donuts, Mrs. Fields,–even the soul food place is run by hispanic/mexicans. I’ve stop patroninzing most of those eateries, except an occassional McDonald’s. The hispanics have been given a free pass to commerce while AA are still being held back economically.