WICHITA — The owner of La Chinita Mexican Restaurant on North Broadway is branching out, but not with another restaurant.
“I am opening a store in the NoMar district,” Lolly Hernandez says. “I’m going to carry folk art (and) imports.”
She plans to open Dos Fridas, named for a Frida Kahlo painting, in almost 1,000 square feet at 2144 N. Broadway.
“I just wanted to contribute to the area and see if we could get it going for it to be another destination,” Hernandez says. “We have Delano. We have Old Town.
“NoMar . . . there’s a lot of empty buildings there, and I just thought I’d grab one,” she says. “There’s nothing going on right now. That’s scary. But you know, it’s my passion because I grew up in this area. I was really excited when this finally happened.”
Hernandez will carry products from Mexico and other countries and may offer art classes at some point as well.
“I just love the Latin culture. The music. The food. I’d like to share that with everybody.”
She thinks that’s NoMar’s potential, too.
“It’s different, you know. It’s multicultural. There’s a lot to offer if everybody would come together.
“I just hope it comes about.”
Hernandez has had the space for six months, and she’s determined to finally open this month to coincide with National Hispanic Heritage Month, which starts Sept. 15.
Dos Fridas opens Sept. 17.
“Ready or not.”