By: Denise Mendiola-Hertslet
Senior Business Counselor/Bank of Guam WIB Program Coordinator
(Guam SBDC)
Fruits and vegetables are organic, fresh, healthy, and locally grown!
Salas Gardens: I Lanchera is a fresh produce store located in I Sengsong Chamorro (The Chamorro Village) Unit 111 in Hagåtña. Fresh fruits and vegetables from Marilyn Salas’ Humatak Farm are brought to the Village daily.
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| Salas Gardens: I Lanchera owner, Marilyn Salas, displays her business sign in front of her store. |
On August 2011, Marilyn Salas, owner, contacted UOG’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and received warm enthusiastic, and professional assistance from SBDC’s Business Counselor, Denise Mendiola Hertslet. Application forms and other documents were prepared with Denise’s assistance and in January 2013, Chamorro Village Manager, Jeff San Nicolas, called with the best news- her application was accepted and space was available for a produce store.
Salas Gardens provides fresh produce locally grown in Guam. These fresh, organic, healthy fruits and vegetables (niyok, lemai, aga’, manggo’, manga, lemon, donne’, kangkong, bilembines, etc.) come from Marilyn and Ansito’s Humatak Farm. Her business goals by phases include: 1) providing fresh produce at reasonable prices to her customers, 2) marketing the business by providing added-value products and services, and 3) focusing on educational programs for youth and elders related to farming and eating fresh, locally grown produce.
In its first two months, Salas Gardens is taking its first steps and Marilyn’s female family members from Guam and Chuuk are “the lancheras” (farmer women) operating and taking ownership of the store’s development. Their friendly service invites you back to Salas Gardens every time!
