Editor’s Note: This is the second part of a three-part series covering the cultural roots of cafecitos in Socorro, Texas.
Amongst a small farm along Socorro Road sits an old house displaying colorful and surreal arts and crafts throughout its rooms. Its vibrancy strikes the eyes of whoever walks in. At the very front of the house there is a small bar with an espresso machine in the back, ready to serve unique drinks.
Cafecito sits on a plot of land associated with Bodega Loya, established and created by Marty and Ralph Loya. Behind the coffee house is a small farm growing fresh produce and herbs, next to the house is a small garage where the owners hold a farmer’s market with their own products with a few other local vendors, surrounded by three other small businesses on the plot of land.
It is a community within the community, which started off as the land and house that Marty grew up in. The idea of Cafecito came from repurposing the house later in Marty’s life.
“I was given the idea to turn it into a coffee shop, but I didn’t know what to do with the rest of the space,” Marty said. “It became a space where local artists came and displayed their work. We started off with three artists, now we have about twenty.”
From there, Cafecito has turned into a vibrant coffee shop and a little museum for the community to be exposed to local artists while grabbing one of their delicious drinks.
“I wish my parents were here to see what this turned into,” Marty said. “They’d be proud.”
Although the Loya’s are the owners of the operation, barista Rebecca Ruiz is the brains behind the unique drinks of Cafecito.
Ruiz has been a barista for about 16 years and has worked in all sorts of coffee shops in cities like Austin, Los Angeles and now, El Paso. She displays her own art in the shop as well where she incorporates dried flowers and insects who have died of natural causes.
She uses her creativity to bring a twist to the seasonal menus at Cafecito. She uses locally sourced coffee, honey and ingredients available to her to make sweet beverages that relate to her life experiences.
Ruiz’s signature drinks like the Como La Flor and Arroz Con Café tie into the cultural aspects of Socorro and El Paso, Texas that make the cities what they are.
“A lot of drinks are based on songs, based on culture, but also things that come up in my life,” Ruiz said. “Around [my daughter Luna’s] second birthday I came up with ‘The Luna Latte’. When my dog died, her name was Bear, I made a ‘Honey Bear Latte.’ When my grandpa died, I did a memorial coffee for him.”
Espresso drinks aren’t the only options served at the café. Cafecito has their own array of dry teas that are produced from the fresh herbs on Bodega Loya’s farm by one of their other employees.
“I like to flex the teas when people ask, ‘Do you have chai or matcha?’ No! All our teas are from here. You could go out to the farm and see the mint and the basil—everything that goes into the teas,” Ruiz said.
Cafecito’s jump from displaying art from three to twenty artists is also a declaration of their support to the art community. Marty Loya allows them space to display their work, and in return the artists gain a passive income and publicity.
“We rent space to [the artists]. They rent a wall, a table—whatever they need. I just collect rent, and I don’t collect any commission on their art.”
Bodega Loya and Cafecito also host their own summer markets to bring light to smaller vendors and participate in Socorro events such as art crawls.
Through Cafecito and Bodega Loya’s success, the Loya’s and Ruiz aren’t afraid to share the love and spread the word about other small businesses along Socorro Road.
“I like how on this road we all do our thing and support each other… we bring our cultures and our stories to our work,” Ruiz said.
Many of the coffee shops, art houses and restaurants offer different works and stories which makes Marty Loya and Ruiz feel like it ties the community together.
“We also recommend each other,” Marty said. “It’s important. What we bring here is different from what [other businesses] are bringing in and what they provide to the community.”
Cafecito provides drinks close to the heart and a plethora of rooms filled with local art that Ruiz and Marty Loya view as a testament of the love of Socorro. Their unwavering support for the businesses of Socorro and its artists may leave impressions on visitors that keep them coming back for more.
Jesie Garcia is a staff reporter and may be reached at [email protected] or on Instagram @empanaditawrites.
