‘This is my dad’s life’s work. It’s a legacy that I’m proud of continuing.’

Juan Ernesto Ordaz and his father, Juan Ordaz, are the owners of Las Palmas Western Wear, located at 600 W. Mitchell St. Las Palmas offers items such as cowboy hats, handcrafted leather boots and workwear.

Irasema Muñoz: How did you start working here? Is it family-owned?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: Yeah, it’s a family-owned business. My dad started the business back in 1989 as, like, a corner store grocery store and then it slowly transitioned to what it is today, a western store.

Irasema Muñoz: What led to the western store?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: A demand, a change in demographics in the south side of Milwaukee. More Latino and Hispanic immigrants coming into Milwaukee and, you know, there was a need for change.

Irasema Muñoz: What year did the store transition into the western store?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: So, it probably transitioned in the early 1990s, maybe mid-1990s. I was born in 1992, so like in 1998, the store was already up and running.

Irasema Muñoz: Was it because was there more dances going on?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: Yeah, so people would go to Chicago to get their stuff. And my dad was like, “Let me just bring this stuff up from Chicago. Have it here so people won’t have to drive.” So that’s how it came to be.

Irasema Muñoz: Is that still what you guys do? Do you source from Chicago or is there stuff you bring from Mexico?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: No, things changed over the years. It used to be where my dad had to go to Mexico frequently to source all the products. But now it’s just easier because the companies have their warehouses in the U.S. So, they ship it from the U.S. to us.

Irasema Muñoz: Have you seen a change since then to now, like the change in styles?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: Oh yeah, the trends are always changing. It’s the same with, like, other cultures. Mexican culture, too. There was a point where people like to dress up the Chalino style with the pointy boots, and then duranguense came around and people were wearing loose fitting clothes, loose sacos, and then the hats that are just, like, folded up like a taco and extreme boots. And then now it’s just like, we’re in this phase where it’s like Texan, Southern vibes, country, more conservative colors and square toes is what we sell a lot of right now. So that’s what we’re doing.

Irasema Muñoz: Was this something that you always thought about like growing up that you wanted to kind of take care of the store?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: No, absolutely not. This was not my first option. I had lots of options. I actually went to school and got my associates degree in logistics transportation distribution. I was probably going to run off with that and do something, work for a company and have a regular 9-to-5 job. But as you get older, things change and I realized, you know, this is my dad’s life’s work. It’s a legacy that I’m proud of continuing.

Irasema Muñoz: Are there any goals that you guys have moving forward?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: I think we hit one of our goals. Just a couple weeks ago, we bought a building right here on 7th and Mitchell. So yeah, that’s an expansion that we’re doing. We have to do major renovations to the building, but at one point it will be an extension of this business, and it will be something else because it’s two buildings that we bought.

Irasema Muñoz: Do you guys want to stay in the Milwaukee area? Would you ever expand to other places?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: That would be a goal to maybe branch out to a different city, have another location. That would probably be a major goal. But right now our focus is here in Milwaukee and we’re never going to leave here. We’re always going to be here.

Irasema Muñoz: What about community? How do you want the store to come across to our community in Milwaukee?

Juan Ernesto Ordaz: As a staple, as a pioneer and as an inspiration to people who want to do something. They can always look to us as, you know, as proof of hard work and those days off can get you somewhere in life. If you have dreams you just got to work hard for them and don’t stop asking questions. I like seeing the newer generations come because when I was little, I saw the people that my dad tended to. Now those people have grown up and had their kids and now I am the one that’s helping them out and finding their boots and dressing them up. So, I like that part, the generations.