To stay in Mission District, Latino businesses split the rent

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Latinos from all over the Bay Area come to the churches, medical offices, restaurants and nonprofit service providers in the Mission District, according to Dairo Romero of the Mission Economic Development Agency. Photo by Mission Local.

Stepping inside the storefront at 3270 24th St., it’s not immediately clear what kind of business it is. The space holds two retail outlets, plus a lawyer and an electronics repairman.

This may sound like a “man walks into a bar” joke, but it’s not — it’s the business model for many Latino business owners in the Mission.

“We help each other with rent,” said Binda Cano, the owner of Binda’s Boutique and holder of the lease at 3270 24th St. She also said that the tenants might be looking for a fifth business to join them in their 3-week-old venture.

They aren’t the only ones. As Latino-owned businesses that cater to Latinos struggle to survive in a neighborhood with rising commercial rents, many have taken to sharing space. Cano declined to say how much her rent is, but did say it is substantial because of the large space.

“This is the only way to hold it together,” Cano said.

Read the complete story at Mission Local. 

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