CLEVELAND — CentroVilla25 has been in the works for more than a decade, but this weekend, for Hispanic Heritage Month, residents will get a sneak peek inside the cultural hub for their first event.
In the heart of the Clark Fulton neighborhood stands a transformed warehouse now home to CentroVilla25. This vibrant hub serves the Northeast Hispanic community in many ways, including celebrating Latin culture and fostering Hispanic entrepreneurship. Inside, it features a range of things, including a commercial kitchen, office spaces, 22 businesses, and much more.
It's a project that has been years in the making.
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After a long wait, Jorge Hernandez, the owner of Flying Pig Taco, will finally be able to serve his authentic cuisine.
“We're going to offer several types of tacos, but every week we're going to introduce some new dish that maybe is not common to find in the area; people might never have heard of it, but it's traditional from some regions in Mexico,” said Hernandez.
Marielis Navarro is excited, too. She owns Tumbao58, where she’ll give customers a taste of home.
“Oh, my business is going to offer Venezuelan food, and especially arepas. It's kind of a fast-casual in my kiosk,” said Navarro.
Navarro and Hernandez are just two of the businesses that will soon be located in CentroVilla25, but this weekend, people will get to try what they have to offer.
For the first time this Saturday, CentroVilla25 will open its doors to the public for a domino tournament.
“Tomorrow is part of Hispanic heritage. We wanted to have the opportunity to do something fun and cultural inside of CentroVilla25 that could become a signature event,” said Jenice Contreras, the president and CEO of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development.
During the event, they’ll have teams playing for cash prizes, tours of the building and multiple vendors showcasing their products.
“So we'll have each of our kiosk vendors set up, kind of temporarily, but to start giving folks the feel of what it's like to go through the different kiosks,” said Contreras.
The goal of CentroVilla25 was to create a space for Northeast Ohio’s Hispanic community to thrive.
“It's cultural preservation, as well as economic mobility and wealth creation,” said Contreras.
Now, everyone will finally get a taste of that dream coming to life.
“Oh my gosh. It's so exciting, because the thought of having all the vendors now together, I can imagine the smells, the sharing, and for them to see us as a group, as a community,” said Hernandez.
“We’re looking forward to just having this cultural hub, music, dance, food, just about every weekend,” said Contreras.
The event will be from 2 to 6 p.m. There is still more work to be done on the building, and the goal is to have CentroVilla25 officially open by the end of the year. It's located at 3140 West 25th St., Cleveland.
