Hope and new beginnings can be found at the intersection of Greenville Road and Murray Street in east McKinney. The store, which has commonly been referred to as a store since1953, and since the 80s until now known as Rodriguez, will now be the home of a grocery store with. healthy food options and a place for children to safely gather.
December of 2013, President Obama granted Hernandez clemency, and in 2015, after serving 18 years in prison, Hernandez was released from prison. It was then that Hernandez vowed to come back to the community that he once helped destroy and make up for his past mistakes.
While in prison, Hernandez started ATLAST (Aspiring Texas Latinos Achieving Success Together), an organization that aims to inspire Latino students to become confident, empowered, and proud of their heritage and see themselves as leaders in their schools and community. With a grant and the help of City Council Member Justin Beller, ATLAST signed a 10-year lease agreement to become the new owners of The Store.
"This store is the heart and soul of East McKinney and we're about to give it a bypass, " says Hernandez.
Hernandez has been busy since May partnering with local businesses to get the store operational and ready to open. All unhealthy food, lottery, and tobacco products have been removed from the existing store and Hernandez is working with local farmers, such as Meg Neubauer of Pure Land Farm and McKinney Roots, to fill the shelves with healthy eating and drinking options. North
Texas Tree and Pottery is installing pergolas and landscaping in the area behind the store, allowing kids and parents to have a safe place to enjoy their snacks. This area will be equipped with WIFI, allowing students a place to gather and do their schoolwork. Truficient Energy Solutions is helping fix and maintain anything AC-related within the building.
With the new name La Tiendita (the little store), this store will operate as a nonprofit, allowing local high school students to work and learn how to operate a business, healthy eating, and what it means to be part of a community. Donna Collins of The Jelly Queen in downtown McKinney will be teaching the students how to preserve fruits and vegetables so they can create their own
products like jellies, jams, and pickled items for sale. Hernandez hopes the skills and knowledge that the students learn while helping operate the store will empower them to go out and pursue a career in areas where Latinos are underrepresented.
The goal is for La Tiendita to be a self-sustaining store. Hernandez wants the items in the store to be affordable for all. He sees the store as a “pay it forward” system, where a portion of what someone buys will help subsidize the next person’s purchase.
“Honestly, I don't know much about running a store or fruits and vegetables, but I am going to learn it,” says Hernandez. “We are going to learn everything we can and do something good for our Hood.”
The Store is located at 902 Greenville Street and will be open for business in early fall. To find out how you can help contact ATLAST at joinatlast.org.
