by caleb rainey
“I always dreamed of owning my own boutique. My sister calls meEl Sonador (daydreamer), because I think a dream can come true as long as you want it.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, The number of business owners of color is disproportionately small in compari- son to white business owners. When you look at the number of LGBT people of color who own businesses the number gets even lower.
Nestled in the heart of Hillcrest however, is a store run by a gay
Latino who has become an integral part of the Hillcrest com- munity. Luigi Vera, owner of Luigi Vera: One of A Kind Clothing, started his venture at a dismal point in the economy but was able to pull through and is now celebrating his 7th anniversary!.
THE RAGE MONTHLY HAD A CHANCE TO SIT AND CHAT
WITH THIS REMARKABLE BUSINESSMAN AND FASHIONI- STA, DURING WHICH HE SHARED HIS JOURNEY:
When asked how Mr. Vera initially got interested in fashion, he
responded with, “When I was a child I always liked to dress nicely and play with my clothes, even though I didn’t have very much. I tried to make my outfits work by matching my shorts and my T-shirt with my shoes or sandals, or I would ask my grandmother to sew new shorts and a matching T-shirt for me; I always liked to coordinate. I have great memories of my grandmother making me new stuff and I always wanted to make my own clothes. I learned how to sew clothes from her, she taught me a lot. She was a good mentor.” Clearly a talent for fashion and an ethic of hard work run in his
family. Rarely are practical skills passed down from generation to generation so it is really incredible that Vera grew up in a family that provided the early support he would need to become the business man he is today. Vera went on to explain why he started his own store instead of just working as a designer. He explained, “Well when I was little, I was raised in a poor family of six kids. My father was the only one working in the whole family and he didn’t have enough money for all of us. Since I was a kid, I was always looking for ways to help my family by finding jobs. But I always dreamed of owning my own boutique. My sister calls me El Sonador (daydreamer), because I think a dream can come true as long as you want it.” Vera tells the story beautifully, of his attempts to open Luigi
Vera: One of A Kind Clothing; “I was going to the bars with some friends after hours and we often passed by 5th Avenue at night and I would tell my friends ‘I will have my store on this block someday.’ And some of my friends would say, ‘Luigi, for that to happen you need a lot of money!’” He continued, “But I have always thought that nothing in this life is impossible.“ “I first opened my store in 2006 downtown by Horton Plaza,
but my dream was to have a store in Hillcrest on 5th Avenue between Robinson and University. I wasn’t able to find a location there for the longest time, though I did find a place across the street from 24 Hours Fitness on 5th Avenue. But I still wanted to be in the block where I am now and I finally moved to the loca- tion I always dreamed about—since I came to the United States in 1999. I have already made my dream a reality.” Vera’s confidence is unshakable and his success is truly remark-
able. As part of that, he is celebrating a significant milestone this month and the event promises to be special. He describes this important moment; “This anniversary is very special to me because I have been in business for seven years! When I opened, I never thought I would have so many years in business because the economy was very bad. But I found ways to make deals with my costumers and friends who support me and have always been there for me. That is very special to me and it makes me happy to know we all can work together.” He went on to say, “This anniversary will have a lot of fun, great
surprises and will feature a fabulous show by Daisy Torres and Barbarah Neors, as well as raffles, great music, a DJ, appetizers and beverages. There will also be a fashion show with hot models wearing Andrew Christian swimwear and one-of-a-kind underwear designs created by yours truly. As a bonus, I will offer 50 percent off the entire store to express my gratitude to all of my costumers and friends who have supported me through the years.” This event is sure to be fantastic, but remember, Luigi Vera:
One of A Kind Clothing carries amazing items year-round and features incredible deals the entire time. Whether you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind tank top, a gently used Prada skirt or hand- bag, a great piece of vintage Vuitton, or a sexy pair of underwear, Luigi is sure to have just what you’re looking for.
Luigi Vera: One of A Kind Clothing’s anniversary celebration takes place on Friday, May 16, beginning at 7 p.m. at 3823 5th Avenue.
For more information on the event, or on the boutique in general, call 619.683.2199 or go to
luigivera.com.
MAY 2014 | RAGE monthly 61
MAY 2014 | RAGE monthly 61
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