News Summary
CentroVilla25 has officially opened in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood, serving as a Latino market and business incubator. The 32,000-square-foot hub aims to boost local economic development, offering a unique partnership model for vendors and showcasing a variety of Latino culinary options. This $14 million initiative includes essential amenities and plans for future community events, demonstrating a commitment to enrich the local Latino community.
CLEVELAND – CentroVilla25, a new Latino market and business incubator, has officially opened its doors in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood of Cleveland. This 32,000-square-foot hub is designed to serve as a central location for food, retail, and community services in an area known for having the city’s highest concentration of Hispanic residents. The initiative aims to prioritize economic development in a neighborhood that has traditionally been overlooked in favor of areas like Ohio City.
The project, inspired by a successful Latino market in Minneapolis, represents a significant investment in the community, with a total cost of $14 million. The funding was sourced from a variety of channels including new market tax credits, city and county programs, corporate fundraising, and grassroots efforts. A warehouse was purchased in 2017, and after a lengthy construction period, CentroVilla25 celebrated its grand opening at the end of 2024.
Jenice Contreras, the CEO of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development, has been a key proponent of this project. The market model is unique, supporting new entrepreneurs who are first-time brick-and-mortar business owners. Vendors can sign a three-year lease for one of the 20 kiosks, paying minimal base rent while returning 10% of their gross profits to help support the market’s operations. This “pay as they grow” partnership model is aimed at minimizing startup costs and allowing vendors the opportunity to build their brand and customer base, with the ultimate goal of transitioning to independent locations after their initial term.
CentroVilla25 features Mercado Verde, a food hall that is currently at full occupancy, highlighting a wide variety of Latino culinary options. Offerings include Puerto Rican coffee, Salvadorian baked goods, Cuban food, Mexican tacos, Venezuelan arepas, and Dominican rice. Local vendors have expressed gratitude for the opportunity to realize their small-business ambitions within this supportive environment.
Among the vendors is Elizabeth Valdez, who relocated from Florida to open La Esquina Dominicana, joined by Marie Navarro who leads her Venezuelan cuisine stall named Tumbao58. CentroVilla25 is not solely focused on commercial activities; it is also dedicated to creating a vibrant cultural space that enables the Latino community to thrive economically.
The center includes essential amenities such as a commercial kitchen, community spaces, and offices for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Business Center, which support approximately a dozen small businesses. Many of these businesses have emerged from the center’s various training programs, which provide vital mentorship and resources for business planning.
CentroVilla25 operates from Tuesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., while remaining closed on Mondays. Future developments at the site include the anticipated opening of the Tropical Bay Lounge bar, along with additional outdoor vendor space and planned community events.
This initiative is poised to create a lasting impact on the Clark-Fulton neighborhood, fostering both economic growth and a sense of community among Cleveland’s Latino residents.
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HERE Resources
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Cleveland Introduces CentroVilla25 for Latino Community
Additional Resources
- Cleveland.com: CentroVilla25 Latino Market Revitalizing Neighborhood
- News 5 Cleveland: CentroVilla25 Empowering Latin Community
- Spectrum News 1: CentroVilla25 Hispanic Business Focus
- Wikipedia: Cleveland
- Cleveland Scene: Review of CentroVilla25
- Google Search: CentroVilla25
- Cleveland 19: CentroVilla25 Grand Opening
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Cleveland
Author: STAFF HERE CLEVELAND WRITER
The CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER represents the seasoned team at HERECleveland.com, your premier source for actionable local news and information in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and beyond, delivering "news you can use" with in-depth coverage of product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news impacting the region—backed by years of expert reporting and robust community input, including local press releases and business updates, while providing top reporting on high-profile events like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Cleveland International Film Festival, and holiday parades, alongside key organizations such as the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Orchestra, and Great Lakes Science Center, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and healthcare like Sherwin-Williams and University Hospitals, and as part of the broader HERE network including HEREDayton.com, offering comprehensive, credible insights into Ohio's vibrant landscape. HERE Cleveland HERE Dayton
