Jennifer Bolaños - Owner of Via Raiz

Jennifer Bolanos is a Latina business owner who has her own brick and mortar shop in Portland, Oregon which sells home decor items and artisan products. Her store, Vía Raíz, is a place where Mexican craftsmanship meets modern design. I had the privilege of interviewing her and hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

1. Tell me a little about yourself and what inspired you to open your store Via Raiz.

My name is Jennifer Bolanos, and I’m the founder of Vía Raíz. I’m the daughter of immigrants and I wear that badge with honor because to me it means resilience, adaptability, and drive. I’m proud to say that I’m Mexican-American and thank my parents for raising me with so much love and reverence for my cultural heritage.

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and for the last 6 years have called Portland, Oregon home. My background is in interior design and retail operations and merchandising.

The marriage of so many elements coming together has been the inspiration behind Vía Raíz: cultural pride, honoring my heritage, my love for design, my background in interior design and retail, and the work of incredibly talented Mexican designers and artisans. 

2. I love that your store supports Mexican craft and promotes Mexican design. How do you select the type of products your store sells and where do you find them? 

I curate the work of contemporary designers in Mexico who either collaborate with artisans or they themselves are the artisans. The name Vía Raíz, meaning “Through Roots,” plays a critical role in how I select the designers and pieces. I look for pieces that demonstrate reverence to tradition, honor the artisan, and also help bring Mexican craft to the world stage. The designers I collaborate with, understand their responsibility in helping keep traditional crafts alive. The symbiotic union between the artisan and the designer is the framework for the new era of Mexican craft.

3. Your mission is to redefine what it means to be "Made in Mexico." What do you mean by that? Is this your way of combating stereotypes? 

I believe there’s a stereotype when most people think of Mexican-made crafts — it isn’t good or bad, it just is — and for so many who visit Mexico, their exposure to Mexican crafts is limited to what they see in markets directed towards tourists. While the artisans in Mexico aren’t in elegant ateliers, they’re equally as skilled as their counterparts in Europe. I hope to expand people’s knowledge of Mexican crafts and the incredibly talented designers making waves in Mexico’s design scene.

4. How do you go about building partnerships with other designer and artist? What is that process like? 

Building relationships with the designers I work with is like building any other relationship. There must be trust and respect. I believe that having really carefully selected the people I choose to work with builds confidence in those I reach out to. There’s a very specific reason why I choose the designers that I do and sharing this with them allows me to start a meaningful collaboration with them. 

I always personally reach out to the designer to introduce myself and Vía Raíz and share why I love their work and why I feel their pieces would be a perfect fit for the shop. I will never send a generic mass email to several designers at one time. I do my due diligence to make sure that my shop is a good fit for the designer as well. Never underestimate the power of good communication and paying in a timely manner. And when I’m in Mexico, I make it a point to set up time to meet with them. The personal, face-to-face, interaction helps to really solidify the relationship.

5. In addition to promoting the products you sell and the artists you collaborate with, you use your Instagram page as a social justice platform to talk about everything from immigration to women's rights, what type of impact has that had on your business? Do you find it has strengthened it or made it more difficult to sell products to customers with different political beliefs? 

I’ve been pleasantly surprised that being vocal, as a business, about topics that are important to me as both an individual and business owner, has strengthened my business. In doing this, I’ve come to find that you attract a community that believes in you and supports you. It means the world to be building a community that cares as much about the same issues that I care about.

6. Your store is in Portland, Oregon, I'v never been there but have heard great things. What's the community like? 

Portland is a city of makers and rich in entrepreneurial spirit. You can’t help but be inspired by it. People in Portland have an appreciation for the handmade and artisanal, and the city is hungry for cultural diversity. The blend of all of these factors made Portland a great city to launch the business.

7. Favorite Mexican author? 

I love the work of Octavio Paz.

8. Favorite telenovela? 

Growing up I loved Alcanzar Una Estrella, Rebelde, the Trinity of Marias (Maria la del Barrio, Mari Mar, Maria Mercedes), Soñadoras, Clase 406, Amigas y Rivales. 

9. Favorite Mexican dish? 

Mole with arroz rojo and banana slices. Although a good plate of delicious refried beans and freshly made tortillas equally makes me happy. 

10. Favorite city in Mexico to travel to? 

I need to travel more extensively through Mexico to feel confident about answering this question. I do have to say that CDMX is always an exciting city to visit. There’s so much happening and so much to experience when I visit.

11. Favorite Mexican hero? 

Currently, it’s all the women standing up for women’s rights, fighting femicide, and protesting for their lives and the lives of all women in Mexico.

A special note from Adriana: Since temporarily closing her brick-and-mortar shop in mid-March, Vía Raíz customers made enough online purchases to provide Jennifer's business with sufficient cash flow to sustain it until May. Please continue to support this small business owner who has poured her heart and life savings to pursue an idea, that she believes deep down in her core, stands for something.

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While on maternity leave, Jennifer will be donating 10% of sales to the Oregon Workers Relief Fund and the Farmworkers' Covid-19 Pandemic Relief Fund. For those who support Vía Raíz and its mission, she is offering 10% off everything on the site (use code TOGETHER10 at checkout).

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https://viaraiz.com/