Celebrating Long Beach’s Hispanic-Owned Businesses
During Hispanic Heritage Month, we are spotlighting some of Long Beach’s many Hispanic-owned businesses and the products and services they offer to the community, from a Bixby Knolls coffee and pastry shop to a California Heights bar and restaurant serving pupusa burgers. There’s also a digital photo booth company, hair and beauty salon, and Belmont Shore’s only tattoo and piercing shop.
ROXANNE’S LOUNGE
In 2011, Robert Molina opened Roxanne’s Lounge (1115 E Wardlow Rd) in Long Beach’s California Heights neighborhood and soon created a mini-empire. Hidden inside the complex is the Exhibition Room speakeasy, and appearing seasonally is Marie’s Tek Tec, a secret tiki bar that embraces the mythology and symbols of ancient Mexico. The family also operates the city’s only Latino-owned distillery, Wille’s Tin Shop. Molina’s Salvadoran heritage shines on Roxanne’s menu, with dishes like a pupusa burger and a yuca-and-chicharones appetizer. In 2023, he partnered with Salvadoran-American comedian Jose Velasquez to create the first Central American Heritage Festival in Long Beach, which returns for its second year on November 30, 2024.
ALF’S BODY ART STUDIO
Alf’s Body Art Studio (5347 E 2nd St) is the only tattoo shop in Belmont Shore, offering piercing and tattoo services in a wide range of styles, from vibrant color pops to black and gray artwork and fine line art. Co-owner Alfredo Cuellar grew up near Mexico City and opened the shop in 2022 with his wife and co-owner Candice Fliedner-Cuellar. Cuellar’s style was shaped by the pop culture of his teen years in the 1980s and his practice of drawing characters like Bart Simpson, Super Mario, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Together Alf and Candice and their team of five female and one male tattoo artist are dedicated to operating their shop as a welcoming and safe space for all.
THE MERCHANT
For Andrea Fleytas, growing up in a Puerto Rican family meant spending hours around the center of the household–the kitchen table–with family and food. Her grandparents owned a butcher shop and liquor store in Los Angeles while she was growing up and Fleytas was inspired to follow their path and open her own small business, The Merchant (4121 Long Beach Blvd) in Bixby Knolls. Serving coffee and freshly baked pastries, The Merchant is set to begin serving lunch this fall and serves beer and wine, as well. Fleytas says sharing the traditions of food and hospitality she grew up with and remembering her grandparents’ legacy is very special to her.
MAGIC LENS PHOTO BOOTHS
Steven Iglesias started Magic Lens Photo Booths during the COVID-19 pandemic anticipating that weddings and parties that had to be postponed during the lockdown would create a booming events business when venues reopened. Today, the company offers interactive digital photo booths, 360 video booths, and roaming mobile photo booths for events. Their latest service is a video guestbook, essentially a photo booth equipped with a microphone, where guests can record a video message for their hosts. Iglesias says Hispanic Heritage Month is meaningful to him as a time to recognize hard-working people hoping to achieve the American Dream.
VICKI & FRIENDS SALON & BLOW DRY BAR
Cut and color expert, and cosmetology dynamo, Valerie Sanchez, owner of Vicki & Friends Salon & Blow Dry Bar (5530 South St, Lakewood), is the person to see for all things glam. Whether you need a blowout and styling for a big event, extensions, waxing, makeup, or a beard trim, Valerie and her team can help you look and feel your best. Having worked at the salon since 1986, Sanchez had the opportunity to purchase the business from its previous owner, which she calls a proud accomplishment as a self-taught entrepreneur and single mom. Sanchez believes her grandparents, who came to the U.S. from Mexico, would be proud to see how far she’s come today and the role she plays in her community.
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