From jewelry to clothes to home decor, everyone in the family can take a little piece of Mexico home with them when they visit.
The women-owned, family business is managed by co-owner Erika Pantoja. She and her sister founded Portal Artesanal in 2019 by selling products online and at events. Fast forward to 2023, and they were able to open their first brick and mortar location.
Pantoja said she thinks of the store as a piece of home for the Hispanic community in the East Bay. She also sees it as an opportunity to share her culture with others. "As an immigrant, it's difficult for some of us to go back to our home country. For me, it's really emotional that other people feel connected to me, to my heritage, to my culture and that they like it and they want to learn more about it."
In addition to selling unique gifts, Pantoja also offers creative workshops. The first one teaches guests how to create their own Dia de los Muertos alebrije, a brightly colored Mexican art sculpture. Sign up information for the Oct. 3 workshop can be found here.
Pantoja plans to host more workshops with different themes in the future.
For Pantoja and her family, this business started as a dream. Today, it's a reality thanks to hard work, perseverance, and a love for Mexican culture.
"There were some times that I was struggling, but you just need to be patient. Keep working with what you have in mind. There's people that are like you and they support you so don't ever let that dream go," said Pantoja.