LUBBOCK, Texas — La Casa Mexicana has thrived on family values and has been the “Little Mexico” in Lubbock since 1955.
On the north side of Lubbock, at the intersection of Clovis Road and University Avenue, stands the third and most recent home of La Casa Mexicana. The store was originally opened in downtown Lubbock by Anita Berlanga and Benancio Bitela. Seventy years later, their daughter Irene Manzanales continues to keep the doors open for Lubbock and the surrounding community.
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Almost all of the products at La Casa Mexicana are brought from Mexico. From rosaries to religious statues, to Mexican dresses, and over 200 medicinal herbs, Manzanales says they have something for everyone. While tariffs have made a few products hard to restock, the store is almost always able to keep a full stock of its FDA-compliant herbs. Manzanales’ husband also helps bring the nearly 200 religious candles in from Houston and Laredo.
Irene Manzanalez became the full-time owner of the store in the early 2010s after her mom passed away. She said it was not hard to take over the business because she and her three siblings had grown up working in the store. Now, she honors her mother’s legacy with two pictures of her hanging over the store’s entrance. Manzanales would love to have a picture of her father, too, but the 1970 tornado took all their pictures.
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When asked about the future of the store, Manzanales said she’s unsure. The next generation has not learned the Spanish language or the different uses of the herbs. Her family is working to teach the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but Manzanalez knows they will need to learn quickly in order to keep the business thriving…