Chicana Perk/Latté Mi Corazón forced to close by City of San Diego

Latté Mi Corazón, formerly known as Chicano Perk, will be permanently closing its original location located at 129 25th Street, San Diego, CA 92102 on Friday, November 12th, 2010. After following up on a complaint, the City of San Diego has decided that Latté Mi Corazón does not meet current code compliance. “After 7 years of operating our family business, this is the first time the City of San Diego decides to raise a flag. We have paid for our business permits each year and are completely shocked that the city is doing this to us now,” stated Jerry Guzman-Vergara, co-owner of Latté Mi Corazón.

Latté Mi Corazón is an icon in the Historic Barrio District (Sherman Heights, Logan Heights, Grant Hill, Memorial, & Stockton). It is the only family owned coffee shop in the community that supports local grass roots groups/organizations and provides a comfortable place for students and community members to gather and organize. “In the current state of the economy, we are deeply saddened that the city would request that we close our family business. We are also very disappointed and shocked that it took The City of San Diego over 7 years to come to a conclusion that our business is not in compliance with local zoning guidelines. We feel that the City has let us down,” said Ricardo Medina, co-owner of Latté Mi Corazón.

Following the closing of Latté Mi Corazón, the owners will be looking for a new and permanent space within the Imperial Avenue Business Corridor to once again reopen their doors to the community as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the Sherman Heights Community Center Board of Directors has pledged to help the small business by offering to house their coffee cart at the Sherman Heights Community Center Facility at 2258 Island Avenue, San Diego, CA 92102. "As a community development corporation, we feel that we need to do our part in the revitalization of our local economy. Keeping our local family owned coffee-shop in business while they find a new home is just the first step in the process," said Venus Molina, President of the Sherman Heights Community Center. Latté Mi Corazón hopes to start operations at its new proposed temporary location no later than January 2011.

For more info please contact Jerry Guzman-Vergara at 619.352.6863 or at jerry [at] lattemicorazon.com.

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