Snacks Chabelita, A Business Enriched of Latino Culture

By D.T.

Columbus, GA – Over the past few decades, Latino gastronomical businesses have flourished throughout the city, delighting the community with Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, Mexican, and Colombian cuisine; amongst other. 

The great variety of flavors, colors and combinations has represented a significant and pleasant novelty on the palate of the American market, which has contributed enormously to the profitability of this type of business. 

One of the community's most popular and celebrated businesses is Snacks Chabelita, a Mexican snack store and restaurant located at 4475 Warm Springs Rd. This business is led by Ms. Sánchez, originally from the State of Mexico in Mexico and has lived in Columbus for twenty-two years.

Snacks Chabelita is a family business. Ms. Sánchez related that her operations were initially based in her personal home, where customers could place orders and pick them up. This stage lasted approximately five years until, in March 2023, Ms. Sánchez and her family opened a store.

Their business began to sell not only snacks such as sweets, sodas, or sauces, but also typical Mexican drinks such as mangonadas and licuachelas, which they re-named licuachabes to personalize the product to their brand. In addition, they also sell various items such as stuffed animals, dolls and even make flower arrangements.

The store was named after Ms. Sánchez's daughter, who was a central part of the purpose of the store, as it was also created as an opportunity for her to develop social skills, for she has autism. Chabelita currently works in sales at the store, she is bilingual and is recognized by customers for her kindness. Ms. Sánchez commented, “People should be able to see that having this kind of conflict does not prevent you from doing things. You still learn and develop, just like a normal child, and I wanted her to have a normal life experience.”

Additionally, the owner of the business said that the most beautiful thing about the business is that although she thought it would be only for Hispanic people, the market was opened to Americans as well, and she assures that, in fact, they have more American clients than Hispanics.

A huge part of the success of the business, in the words of Ms. Sánchez, is owed to the fact that it has a homey touch and that they always procure to be kind and attentive to customers, “We try to make sure that when people come in, they feel welcomed, we try to be friendly and smile. Here the customer is paramount.”

The future of Snacks Chabelita is broad and bright since its owner is clear on novelty being a great attraction factor for customers, which is why she is constantly looking to be aware of trends among youth so she can adapt them to her business. Their plans for the future are to enlarge the business and get more space for customers to eat there.

As a female leader and business owner, Ms. Sánchez shared that she had her challenges running the business, “Practically no one believes in women, it is a long road where you don't have to give up. The language is another thing that sometimes one cannot handle, but I tell the girls who work with me to learn because you never know how far you can go or what skills could lead you to be able to manage your own business.”

Snacks Chabelita is a familial, cultural, colorful and diverse business that is governed by noble values ​​and is a good example to follow for the rest of the Latino community, who cannot miss the opportunity to share their culture with the city, not necessarily with gastronomy, or with business ventures, but also by exercising their citizenship, supporting Latino businesses or being active in events or meetings organized in their esteem.