Oscar and Maria Martinez’s move from Mexico to East Chicago planted the seed for a family venture: homemade tortillas. Now, 35 years later, their company, Tortillas Nuevo Leon, is a true family affair, expanding with the help of their three children: Jaime, Olga and Jesus.

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Every family has that one store they depend on to get their everyday needs for the every day house, whether that store is a grocery market, candy store, bakery, restaurant or even a repair shop. Most of those small stores are usually owned by minorities and have been ran through their family for years or even generations. In this issue we take a look at some Mexican American owners of those same stores that have provided service for the everyday familes. Let’s face it, many small business owners in the suburbs are primarily hispanic and it isn’t just a coincident, their success lands themselves more than just an average entrepreneur status. They come from all over and we buy from them because to us, they are the best and no one else can possibly compare. Even with the economy in a rough state, those small businesses are still handling themselves pretty well and some are even expanding to bigger and better things. Some of those in that category are Northwest Indiana’s and East Chicago’s Mexican migrated companies known as Tortilla Nuevo Leon.

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The region’s largest tortilla maker is moving its operations to North Hammond.

After more than 30 years in East Chicago, Tortilleria Nuevo Leon will begin producing its tortillas, chorizos, cheeses, salsas and crunchy snacks in the former Lay-Z-Boy warehouse at 724 Hoffman St. this summer.

“We’re moving everything — manufacturing, warehousing and shipping — to Hammond,” said Jamie Martinez, who operates the business with his sister Olga and brother Jesus, along with their parents, Maria and Oscar, who founded the company in 1975.

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