Moises Sandoval

La Estrella, Harrisburg City
$50,000 loan

C

REATE, EXPAND AND GROW. 

La Estrella (The Star) is Allison Hill’s only neighborhood Mexican grocery store. Moises Sandoval first opened a small grocery store in 1997 with a personal investment of $14,000. Over the years, Le Estrella has developed and grown from a small corner store, to an extensive Mexican foods store. In 2007, Moises approached Community First Fund about a loan to purchase and renovate the store’s building, which includes four apartments.

Recently, La Estrella has come to include a specialty clothing and boot section as well as room for music and DVD’s. Moises latest project is the addition of a restaurant in the back that will serve traditional Mexican cuisine including burritos, tacos and quesadillas. One day he hopes to corner another local area market by purchasing a tortilla maker and providing fresh tortillas for both his restaurant as well as for retail sale. Moises dream for his store continues to grow and may expand to new locations in Harrisburg as he continues to provide a valuable service to the area’s community.