Laura Velazquez at Mestiza

Photo: A. Jackson

Laura Velazquez first heard about Mestiza two years ago. She needed to buy a present for her mom, and the quirky-smart gift shop had won the best kind of press—positive word of mouth—within Amigas Latinas, a social group for Latina lesbians, of which Velazquez is a member.

As soon as she set foot in the tiny storefront, Velazquez found herself overstimulated—in a good way. “I wanted to look at and touch everything,” she says. “And you’re invited to do that.” Velazquez manages the Anti-Violence Project at the Center on Halsted, the LGBT community center that recently opened its swank new digs in Boystown. While that North Side ’hood will see plenty of action during this weekend’s Market Days, anyone who doesn’t feel the need to shop on Halsted for two consecutive days can escape south to Pilsen, where Mestiza offers plenty of art and unusual wares.

It didn’t take Velazquez long to find a present for her mom, but she still had plenty of reason to linger. Owners Lorena Almanza and Sugeiri Martinez, partners in life and business, have filled their small shop with plenty of color. Local artists’ work hangs on the walls, and countertops display everything from handmade soy candles to Latino tchotchkes. Near the cash register, the Frida Kahlo sticky notes provide “a good reminder to go to the spa and wax,” Velazquez jokes.

The name Mestiza is a feminine version of a common Spanish word, mestizo (also adopted as the name of a nearby café). Its root means “to mix,” and it generally refers to anyone of mixed race. The shop’s owners see the phrase as a poetic way to describe not only their Mexican heritage but also their shop’s culture, blending goods from North, Central and South America. “It’s a reflection of how people in Pilsen live,” Martinez says.

Velazquez agrees, though she’s never lived in the ’hood. She drove here from her far West Side home, where she and her partner raise their six-year-old niece. As she sidles up to the counter to purchase a sexy tank top (mañana, it proclaims), she says with a smile: “You’re gonna find something you like here, no matter who you are.”

Mestiza, 1010 W 18th St (312-563-0132, mestizachicago.com).

Her favorite finds

Photo: Sarah McKemie

Photo: Sarah McKemie

1. Handmade rebozo “This beautiful shawl from Ecuador makes me think of my mom. It’s a reminder of how you can dress creatively and still be tied to something culturally meaningful.” $16–$22.
2. Saint bracelet “It’s Catholicism without the guilt.” $6.
3. Molinillo “Ahh! For old-school frothing of Mexican hot chocolate. I’ve been using a blender lately, and it’s not the same.” $7.
4. Handmade purse “You have to see it up close: It’s phenomenally made [by Chicago artist Helen Bravo]. Appropriate not only for the Day of the Dead, but all year round.” $68.