By Ashly Lopez, May 12, 2026
As the afternoon sun stretches across the storefront windows, mother and wife Maritza Rodriguez arrived at her business, a second job, ready to welcome her community.
After 15 years of co-owning and working a mechanic and auto paint business in the mornings with her husband, she now unlocks the doors to a lifelong dream of hers. Her business, El Rinconcito Salvadoreño, which means “My little Salvadoran corner,” brings a piece of El Salvador to downtown Pomona.
Rodriguez, born and raised in Alegría, a municipality of Usulután, El Salvador, said she opened her market with a clear goal: to create something meaningful not just for herself, but for her community.
She said working as a woman in the mechanic auto sector was challenging and unfulfilling spiritually for her. She yearned for more, and with her children going to college pursuing their dreams, she was inspired to follow her own dreams and open her own store this year.
Inside, Rodriguez’s passion project comes to life. Customers are greeted by a colorful display of snacks and artisanal items that line all four walls. From refrigerators filled with queso fresco, frijoles, yucca, crema Salvadoreña and Kolashampan, to center aisles packed with Papitas Diana de queso, yucca chips, quesadillas and Salvadoran sweet bread known as cemitas.
It’s a Willy Wonka factory-like store for Salvadorans and others to enjoy. Every corner feels curated and intentional, a full display of Salvadoran pride and culture.
“You see lots of Mexican stores, but there aren’t many Salvadoran stores here,” Rodriguez said. “I wanted to share my traditions with my community. It brings me a lot of nostalgia and great memories from my childhood, from cooking essentials, to candies, to the artisanal sandals made. You know, the ones we used to get disciplined with.”
Rodriguez said El Rinconcito Salvadoreño is not just a place for migrants to shop but rather to find community, connection and belonging. It’s a connection, a bridge, to the motherland for many Salvadoran migrants.
Rodriguez told a familiar story recognized by many Salvadoran immigrants. She said her father first immigrated to the U.S. during the Salvadoran civil war. It took three years before her father was able to bring her mother and all of her five siblings stateside. She remembers being young and feeling uneasy. She did not want to leave El Salvador but had to in order to survive. Upon arriving in the U.S., assimilating and finding community was hard.
According to The Collector, the Salvadoran Civil War, which took place from 1979 to 1992, displaced more than 1 million people, roughly 25% of the population, as Salvadoran citizens fled extreme violence, army massacres and forced recruitment. Many migrated to the U.S., particularly the Los Angeles region, where they faced marginalization due to discrimination, language barriers and the stigma associated with gang violence.
Grace Castillo, a Covina resident who also immigrated as a teen to the U.S. during civil unrest in El Salvador, noted she used to drive to Central Los Angeles for a little taste of home. She has experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to find Salvadoran flavors, snacks, clothing and crafts in the U.S., especially in cities where they aren’t as visible.
“My grandmother used to own a neighborhood mercadito,” Castillo said. “She sold pupusas, fruits, horchata, sevadas, lecheburas, you name it. But when we came here, it was a huge culture shock. The things we loved were nowhere to be found. It took years for us to find community.”
Castillo said businesses like El Rinconcito fill the void for immigrants when they struggle to see themselves reflected in mainstream businesses. For her, these stores are reminders that carry significant meaning, helping keep traditions alive.
Nancy Quintanilla, professor of Diaspora theory and Central American Studies at CPP, said cultural businesses like El Rinconcito Salvadoreño are vital to communities.
“These kinds of spaces are very important for Salvadoran immigrant communities looking to find familiarity and a sense of safety,” Quintanilla said. “It’s not easy to suddenly find yourself in a country that doesn’t embrace your collectivist values, your language, food and culture, so finding community in these socioeconomic spaces becomes a form of thriving not just surviving.”
According to WRAL News, a nationwide crackdown in immigration enforcement has sparked fear among Latino communities, keeping some families out of public spaces, leaving small Latino businesses struggling to survive.
Rodriguez said she hasn’t seen much traffic in her store since opening. She attributes it to fear, as ICE raids have been prominent in the greater Pomona area.
“Right now, with how immigration is and how they are pursuing and targeting Latinos, the situation is so bad that I feel having my store is really significant,” Rodriguez said. “It’s how I can do my part to unite us amongst Latinos and share with those who may not know our culture that we are good people and shouldn’t be feared.”
Rodriguez said although her storefront hasn’t been open for long, her customers never fail to remind her how appreciative and happy they are to find essentials and keepsakes from El Salvador.
She said she’s happy to know when customers are done shopping at El Rinconcito Salvadoreño, they don’t just leave with groceries in hand, they leave with a sense of connection that lingers long after the doors close.
Feature images courtesy of Ashly Lopez