RPN Today - S2E3 - Import Stores

Russell Shaffer Author

11/01/2023 Added

10 Plays

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It’s an uncommon experience to walk into a grocery store and feel at home. But that’s exactly the atmosphere Amparito’s Market, owned by Raul Sarmiento, Sr., is striving for. On the outside, the market looks like any other grocery store. But when you walk down the aisles, you notice very few of the products originate in the United States. The import store opened in May with help from Rural Prosperity Nebraska’s Latino Small Business Program.

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[00:00:00.000](upbeat music)
[00:00:23.237]It is an uncommon experience
[00:00:24.480]to walk into a grocery store and feel at home,
[00:00:27.060]but that's exactly the atmosphere Amparito's Market,
[00:00:29.790]owned by Raul Sarmiento Sr, is striving for.
[00:00:33.210]On the outside,
[00:00:34.140]the market looks like any other grocery store.
[00:00:36.630]But when you walk down the aisles,
[00:00:38.160]you notice very few of the products
[00:00:39.900]originate in the United States.
[00:00:41.910]Amparito's Market just is, it's a way,
[00:00:45.720]it's something that we want to bring into Lincoln,
[00:00:49.170]to provide a connection, you know.
[00:00:51.150]A connection because they can find
[00:00:54.000]what they can find in their homes.
[00:00:55.500]You know, we have products from all over the continent.
[00:00:58.110]We have anywhere from Central America to South America.
[00:01:01.290]It's really amazing to see their faces
[00:01:03.000]when they can find those unique products
[00:01:04.800]that they can only see in their countries.
[00:01:06.840]The import store opened in May
[00:01:08.430]with help from Rural Prosperity Nebraska's
[00:01:10.710]Latino Small Business Program.
[00:01:12.600]So with the first step is look to location.
[00:01:15.870]Meanwhile, I start working in the process to the startup.
[00:01:20.254]So, we create LLC.
[00:01:21.614]We do the registrations.
[00:01:23.010]We do the IRS and number, sales tax,
[00:01:27.570]and the paperwork for a startup.
[00:01:29.400]We started process on working the business plan.
[00:01:33.060]Everything was was in chain. One step by step.
[00:01:35.673]From the beginning, the store always
[00:01:37.410]centered around family.
[00:01:39.000]The market is named after Sarmiento's wife, Amparo.
[00:01:42.630]His brother-in-law is the butcher.
[00:01:44.430]His daughter and nephew run the counter.
[00:01:46.410]And his son, Raul Jr., handles public relations.
[00:01:49.770]Everything in our process, it's a family project.
[00:01:53.760]The nice thing that they have,
[00:01:55.456]I don't know you've see Amparito's energy.
[00:01:58.890]She is smiling.
[00:01:59.850]There everybody's kind.
[00:02:01.590]They are happy to have the store
[00:02:03.900]so they're ready to serve the community.
[00:02:06.990]So I think just the energy and the environment
[00:02:09.690]that they have in the store is (indistinct) and nice.
[00:02:13.500]In addition to groceries,
[00:02:15.300]Amparito's houses a monetary wiring office
[00:02:17.790]where customers can transfer money
[00:02:19.290]to their families in their home countries.
[00:02:21.480]Just one more way to help people feel connected.
[00:02:24.240]It's really hard sometimes to get acclimated,
[00:02:26.310]to find that trust in somebody
[00:02:28.230]to maybe guide you on your first steps, right?
[00:02:31.050]And we want to be that for the community.
[00:02:32.610]We know what it feels like to be there
[00:02:34.830]and we want to provide those resources
[00:02:36.630]for people to be successful here.
[00:02:38.217]The Sarmientos see their business
[00:02:39.420]not so much as a grocery store,
[00:02:40.980]but rather a cultural center for the community.
[00:02:44.010]Part of the reason for founding the store
[00:02:45.630]was not only to provide immigrants with products
[00:02:47.850]from their home countries,
[00:02:49.500]but also to share what is special to them
[00:02:51.660]with Nebraskans overall.
[00:02:53.610]I would like to take the opportunity here
[00:02:54.990]to invite everyone to come share a little bit of our culture
[00:02:58.020]and we'll be happy to walk you through how to shop here.
[00:03:00.270]We want to be a community resource.
[00:03:01.860]If you just got here or you've been here
[00:03:05.430]and you feel like you know, you need help
[00:03:09.161]with something, come here, we'll help you.
[00:03:11.518]So, Sarmientos are welcoming
[00:03:13.410]and I feel at home when they are here.
[00:03:16.678](upbeat music)

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RPN Today - S2E3 - Import Stores

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