Bandera Local Market Showcases Local Economy

August 4, 2022 - San Antonio

By Ashley Rocha, Staff Intern | San Antonio Sentinel

The Texas Economic Development Center reports there are 3 million small businesses within the Lone Star State. Of those three million, the City of San Antonio Economic Development Department estimates there are 34,000 small businesses and 145,000 sole proprietorships within San Antonio and Bexar County.

These businesses essentially make up 34 percent of the local workforce. However, those minority-owned businesses only run 24 percent of small businesses in San Antonio, while making up 60 percent of San Antonio’s population. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the disparities these businesses face on a daily basis.

In June of 2022, the San Antonio City Council approved the allocation of $30.95 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to start a small business recovery plan. This plan will provide immediate and long-term solutions to help small businesses recover from the pandemic.

A wide variety of small business owners flock to San Antonio’s Select 210 Market, which is an artisan market at Bandera Pointe Center. The market is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Gabriella La Hue runs the stand for Happy Chicks Produce, while her mother, Victoria, runs Madam Spina Apothecary directly adjacent to her.

Happy Chicks Produce has only been at Select Market 210 for a few months, but La Hue knows how to cater to a crowd. Not only does she sell fresh produce, such as heirloom tomatoes, carrots, and Rainier cherries, but she also produces her own jam, syrup and dessert toppings.

La Hue also emphasizes sustainability in her daily harvest and does not let any of her produce go to waste. The fruit she does not sell at the market will eventually be made into jam or syrup. If she has leftover veggies, she feeds them to her mother’s chickens. While produce is certainly her main staple, she also makes chocolate chip and lemon blueberry bread.

“Happy Chicks Produce is happy to be partnered with Southwest Farms to sell their organically grown pasture fed ground beef alongside our fresh produce,” La Hue said.

Another local business, Janel’s Treasures is run by the husband and wife team, Luis and Mary Tamez.

With over 2,500 Croc charms for sale at the booth, they had quite a crowd. From sports team logos, to video game characters, to television shows and movies, to LGBTQIA+ and women’s rights, to Loteria cards and conchas, they are able to attract a wide variety of customers.

Also at their booth were pins, stickers and iron-on patches, as well as Croc charm bracelets.

When the Christmas time rolls around, Mary also makes small sweaters for Elf on the Shelf dolls. “Her best sellers are the Harry Potter themed robes,” said Luis Tamez, “she works nonstop around the holidays.”

Another company, Green Earth Worm Farm San Antonio was also present at the 210 Market. Rene Schmidt and his spouse have been working with fertilizer for five years and with their worms (Red wigglers) for about three years.

“Our Red wigglers became very popular during the pandemic when everyone was stuck at home and wanted to work on their yards or realized they could grow their own food,” Schmidt said.

Green Earth Worm Farm San Antonio not only sells their Red wigglers but also vermicomposting starter kits. The kit comes in a 10-gallon pre-drilled bin containing 250 worms, five pounds of food (compost, coffee grounds, and egg shells), sand for digestion and bedding (shredded cardboard and peat moss).

Refill kits are also available, as well as succulent soil, cardboard and organic worm tea concentrate. The all-natural fertilizer comes from the worm castings and can be sprayed on a plant’s leaves to feed it instantly.

Schmidt also makes and sells concrete pots for plants. Each pot is carefully crafted and smooth to the touch. When purchasing a potted succulent, the pot has a drainage hole, fertilized succulent soil, and of course, a succulent.

For more information, please visit:

Bandera Pointe Center

11411 Bandera Rd,

San Antonio, TX 78250

*All Photos courtesy of Ashley Rocha

Ashley Rocha is from Bovina, Texas, where she graduated from Bovina High School in 2019. She is currently attending Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She is majoring in journalism and minoring in communications and women’s and gender studies and is expecting to graduate in the fall of 2022.