CLEVELAND — After years of planning, building, and waiting, residents will finally get a taste of CentroVilla25 during their soft opening.
Inside CentroVilla25, Ivelisse Roig and Bernardino Tovanch are ready to start welcoming customers.
“It's been an exciting moment. The moment I saw the little space get full shape and everything. I'm like, oh my god, it's happening,” said Ivelisse Roig, co-owner of Cafe Roig.
Coming from generations of Puerto Rican coffee farmers, the smell of a brewing pot has always brought Roig a sense of home.
“To me, was like a love language, you know, connecting with family and everybody in the community,” said Roig.
With her husband by her side at Café Roig, they’ll bring that taste to Cleveland.
“Anyone that's just comes in. We want them to feel like they're part of something. And along with that, the coffee, actually, that we're going to be serving is a family coffee from one of her relatives,” said Bernardino Tovanch, co-owner of Cafe Roig.
That’s just one of the Latin American flavors people will get at Centro Villa 25.
For a decade, Jenice Contreras has been working on this 32,000-square-foot warehouse to celebrate Latin culture and foster Hispanic entrepreneurship.
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“CentroVilla25 is an amazing destination on West 25th and Clark that holds 20 micro retailers, all culturally driven, where they're able to have their shop and their establishment and their business all under one roof,” said Contreras.
They raised millions of dollars, planned, and worked with the businesses to get them ready and finally, on Friday, at 2 p.m., CentroVilla25’s doors will be open for a soft launch.
“You'll even smell it, taste it, feel it, experience everything that is CentroVilla 25 and what the vendors and what the community brings,” said Contreras.
Customers will find over 50% of businesses showcasing food from various countries, jewelry, art, and more. They have limited menus, but this is just the beginning.
“So on the food side, you could expect flavors from five different countries. So Venezuela, Mexico, El Salvador, Dominican Republic in Puerto Rico, on the on our merchant side, there'll be mini Angel jewelry. There'll be clothing and accessories, perfumes, massages, art,” said Contreras.
For Contreras and the community, that vibrantly painted building on West 25th Street is not just about uplifting the Hispanic community; it’s also an opportunity to share their Latin culture with Northeast Ohio. They are so excited to do it.
“It's a historical event for the Latino community. Something that started off as a dream is now becoming a reality,” said Tovanch.
“This is my holiday miracle, and this is my gift this year is to be able to open centroid and share it,” said Contreras.
The market will open Friday at 2 p.m. and will stay open through the holidays into the New Year with special hours. The goal is to hold their grand opening sometime in March.
For information on Centro Villa 25 or their hours, click here.
