CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Third Avenue in Chula Vista is surrounded by an array of shops ranging from accessories, clothing to food. Several businesses are owned and operated by women, paving the way for the next generation of female entrepreneurs.
Mujer Divina is a new business along Third Avenue. It's quickly become a hot spot nearly two-weeks after it opened its doors. The shop has brought the community together through coffee and burritos.
“Chula Vista needed something original,” Mujer Divina Chef and Founder Pricilla Curiel said.
Curiel opened Mujer Divina's first location four years ago in National City. Now the business owner and mother of three, is set to expand another business on Third Avenue. Tuetano Taqueria is set to open next to Mujer Divina in the near future.
With her roots stemming deep south of the border, Curiel shares her craft by embracing her culture through traditional Mexican cuisine.
“I wanted to bring something that was very traditional and put it on with a twist with lattes,” Curiel said.
Although being a business owner doesn't come easy, she explains that running a business requires a lot of discipline and responsibility.
“It's really hard to keep." she said. "Not to open the business, but maintain yourself in the industry."
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Just a couple blocks away, there’s an Italian restaurant ‘Italianissimo Trattoria,' where more than half of employee's are women.
Cynthia Zaino is the co-owner of the restaurant, she knows just how crucial it is to have representation of women in her business.
“We're more than 50 percent of the population, it's obviously super important for women to be part of any business because otherwise our point of view is not there,” Zaino said.
Third Avenue also conducts special pop-ups for local vendors like 'it's in the filling,' a shop that sells different types of baked goods. Samantha Regalado started her business while she was in school but it quickly became her full-time job as orders kept growing. Regalado has been in business for about 12 years, there has been some challenges along the way of being a woman in the industry.
“The fact that sometimes when i wear my chef coat its sir this, sir that. I ts very hard to be a woman in the culinary industry,” Regalado said.
Through her time as a business owner, Samantha has a piece of advice for women who are interested in starting a business..
“its going to take time, a lot of dedication but if you stick with it and you really love it then you know you just have to keep going,” Regalado said.
At the moment, 'it's in the filling’ is online but does participate in community pop-ups.
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