Blancas Mexican Imports • Leander

Blancas Mexican Imports • Leander

Written by Mark Collins Friday, 07 December 2007

Mexican native fills store with imports from home

Blanca’s Mexican Imports brings the Mexican shopping experience north of the border to Leander.

The store opened in Cedar Park two years ago, but moved to Leander in November 2006 when owner Blanca Mireles was able to purchase her own building.

“I wanted to own my own place on [Hwy.] 183, but we just couldn’t find the right price,” Mireles said. “Then I was driving along one day and saw it, and I was lucky to get it.”

The bright blue building is packed, and if customers want to haggle, Mireles is game.

“I’ll, of course, try to bargain every time,” Mireles said. “If it’s something I’ve had for a while, then I can bargain more, just to get it out of the way. That way I can add new things.”

A native of Mexico, Mireles travels to border towns Laredo and Eagle Pass once a month to hand-select her merchandise, supplementing those trips with other occasional ventures into interior Mexico. The result is a store filled with piñatas, pottery, jewelry, dresses and furniture.

“I listen to people’s comments, and they let me know what they like and what they think would do well,” Mireles said. “Plus, I can get whatever I see that’s nice and that could sell.”

Mireles also takes special orders from customers before going shopping. On one trip, she filled her trailer with 20 giant piñatas.

In January, Blanca’s will add a Mexican food component. A home-style taqueria, open for breakfast and lunch, will serve traditional tacos and tortas in addition to a different lunch plate every day.

Tortillas will be exclusively homemade, Mireles said, and the food will be suitable for diners on the go. The taqueria will also have seating for in-house diners.

A torta is a Mexican sandwich served on a firm, crusty sandwich roll and filled with beef, chicken, carne guisada or any other common taco ingredient. All items will be available with rice and beans.

“This has been on my mind for a while,” Mireles said. “What I really like doing is the restaurant business.”

No matter how recently a shopper has been in Blanca’s, a return trip will surely reveal something new, whether it be merchandise or the new taqueria.

“I really couldn’t pick my favorite item in the store,” Mireles said. “I have a little bit of a lot of stuff.”

Blanca’s is the only store in the area with giant piñatas, said owner Blanca Mireles. Some of the piñatas she’s had include:

• Power Rangers
• Hello Kitty
• Strawberry Shortcake

• Ninja Turtles
• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse
• Winnie the Pooh
• Superman

Blancas Mexican Imports, 305 S. Hwy 183, 528-8585