Michoacana grocery expands

“They have to shop every day,” explained Maria Mendoza, who owns the store with her husband Arturo.

The popularity of the store, which has the characteristics of both a convenience and a grocery store, is evident in their recent expansion, the third since the Mendozas opened it in 2003: The store now occupies the full building with the remodel of a former 2,5000 square foot garage at the north end, which is now stocked with product, much of it housed in 900 square feet of cooler space.

The work was done by Arturo Mendoza, who used to own a construction company based out of Portland.

“These are built in coolers, made from brand new parts,” he explained. “I love making things, I really enjoy it when I can make something different,” Mendoza added, noting that he made sure the coolers had plenty of power.

“You could cool all of The Dalles with these,” he chuckled. “A customer told me, ‘You have the coldest beer in town.’”

Since he owns the building, he has the freedom to create what he wants and sees it as an investment in his family’s future.

The store, he added, is a bit of a love story: He met his wife Maria while he was building The Dalles Middle School, and she was working in the store, which at that time was a third of its current size. After they married, they purchased the business and three other nearby properties.

“Someday my son will attend a school that I built, and own a store that I made. Hopefully, the family will keep it going for a long time,” he said.

Maria Mendoza said the expansion will allow them to carry more product than ever. With more items to sell, “the customers are happier, more customers are coming into the store. There is more selection.”

During the remodel, the checkstand was enlarged and moved to a more central location.

Although they feature a lot of Mexican product that cannot be found elsewhere, they also cater to American tastes. “We are a Mexican and American grocery store,” she said. “We get a lot of both. We try to serve our local community.”

The store has a fresh meat department, a hot deli, beer and a large selection of Mexican and American ingredients and groceries.

Although the remodel isn’t visible from outside the store, a lot of people have been coming in to see what was there ever since the Mendozas painted the building from predominantly white to a vibrant, eye-catching orange, Maria said.

La Michoacana is located at 1210 Kelly Avenue, and can be reached at 541-296-3311.