Business & Tech
Peruvian Handicrafts at Vallco through Jan. 14
Cusco Imports, a store only open during the holiday season at Vallco Shopping Mall puts Peruvian rugs, ceramics, sweaters, scarves and other handmade items on final sale after its slowest season in eight years.
Jorge and Blanca Zoniga's holiday-season-only store, Cusco Imports, at Vallco Shopping Mall is among countless small businesses hit by the recent Great Recession.
"We used to sell out everything in the holiday season," says Blanca, a homemaker and part-time student at De Anza College for most of the year. "But we didn't this past holiday season, so we will give a 50 percent to 60 percent discount on everything you see here before we close on Jan 14."
Blanca explains that she and her husband Jorge, an electronics company employee, have come to Vallco every holiday season in the past eight years to sell rugs, ceramics, sweaters, jackets, scarves and miscellanneous handicrafts, all handmade by his family in Peru. They would come in November and leave in early or mid January. The mall manager would find an empty shop lot for them every November, so they have been at different locations in the mall, this time on the upper level across from Macy's, at 10123 N. Wolfe Rd.
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Furry rugs cover an entire wall of the store. According to Blanca, the rugs are all made of 100 percent alpaca fur in natural colors, with absolutely no dye on them.
Customer Davis McClain says the beautiful rugs caught his attention when he walked by with his wife AnnChristine and their 5-year-old daughter Jasmine. The McClains bought a brown alpaca poncho, a brown-and-beige knit scarf, and two pairs of knit mittens in similar shades. They also received a small handmade toy as a gift for Jasmine because of their multiple purchases.
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"Our prices are very good," Blanca says. "If you Google 'alpaca sweater,' you will probably see $600. But look at this sweater. It's 100 percent natural. The light brown is the alpaca color. The red and pink are from plant colors, not chemicals. You can get it for $200."
Even with deep discounts to attract customers, the Zonigas are uncertain about selling out all the in-stock items by Jan. 14. Anything not sold by then, they will sell online. They may even launch a website to do more online business. However, they are still planning to return to Vallco next holiday season.
"I prefer selling the products face-to-face," says Jorge. "This way the customers can touch and feel."
