{"id":1245,"date":"2025-05-13T20:05:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T20:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/clophus\/index.php\/home-2\/"},"modified":"2025-05-14T03:35:53","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T03:35:53","slug":"home-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/clophus\/","title":{"rendered":"FRIENDORS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Haylee Clophus<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI\u2019m not the healthiest, so sometimes it takes me a little bit longer,\u201d said Maribel Leyva, owner of Mid G Beauty. \u201cBut I believe if I slow down, that\u2019s kind of giving into my illness. I just try to keep going as much as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Down the row from her, her daughter Iris Martinez sells mini donuts out of a booth she started after helping her mom. \u201cIt\u2019s my business, and I\u2019m doing it. Every interaction is different,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s something creative, something not a lot of people have.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And across from them, Lino Silva adjusts the wick in a small candle tin. \u201cMy husband\u2019s the one who said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you make something for yourself that\u2019s cleaner to burn?\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cWe made the business together. That\u2019s why we\u2019re married. It\u2019s a we thing.\u201d <\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first glance, LA\u2019s night markets are a blur of music, lights, and hustle. But behind every booth is a human story, of daughters who became bosses, of husbands who carry boxes after long workdays, and of families who stretch their dreams across folding tables. <\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These vendors\u2014\u201cfriendors,\u201d as they call themselves\u2014represent more than food, goodies, or crafts. They represent survival in a city that says it champions small businesses but often makes it nearly impossible for them to thrive.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lino Silva: \u201cWe Built This Together\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Lino Silva didn\u2019t set out to run a business. He just wanted candles that wouldn\u2019t trigger his headaches. \u201cMy husband\u2019s the one that actually said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you try to make something for us, for yourself, that\u2019s cleaner to burn?\u2019\u201d Lino recalled. \u201cFrom there, we took about eight months to really test fragrances, waxes, wicks, containers.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They called their business Loascentials\u2014a name that includes both of their identities. \u201cHe said, \u2018This is a we thing,\u2019 and I\u2019m like, you know what, I agree. That\u2019s why we\u2019re married.\u201d Now the pair split their time between full-time jobs and weekends pouring wax, hauling supplies, and vending at pop-ups like Alameda Night Market. But things are getting harder. \u201cWe just got some new pieces from Mexico for our candle class, and it took over two months to get everything through,\u201d Lino said. \u201cNormally we\u2019d get things in two months, now it\u2019s taking three. We\u2019re watching every dollar.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tariffs on imported materials\u2014like molds and waxes\u2014have ballooned. \u201cIt\u2019s just not predictable,\u201d he said. \u201cShipping used to be $60. Now it\u2019s double that for the same box.\u201d And there\u2019s another cost: dignity. \u201cWe\u2019re always questioned. \u2018Did you make them? Did you buy them?\u2019\u201d Lino said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had to define our space in this business. It\u2019s a labor of love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Maribel Leyva: \u201cFor Me, It\u2019s About the Body\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Maribel started Mid G Beauty because she couldn\u2019t find clean skincare for her daughter\u2019s sensitive skin. As a single mom, she taught herself to make everything from soap to scrubs, eventually launching her brand at the urging of her family. \u201cI started off with six items,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow I\u2019m up to 270 that I actually make all on my own.\u201d But growth hasn\u2019t come without sacrifice. Maribel works a 9-to-5 in e-commerce, then pours her energy into making products by hand and selling them on weekends. \u201cI have a blood issue that my body rejects iron, so I\u2019m constantly tired,\u201d she said. \u201cI have chronic anemia, and I constantly have to be getting blood transfusions. I have a heart issue too.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She took a break from vending to prioritize her health but returned three months ago. \u201cIf I slow down, that\u2019s kind of giving into my illness,\u201d she said. \u201cI just try to keep going as much as I can.\u201d Still, financial realities hit hard. \u201cAll my ingredients are going up approximately 30 to 35 percent,\u201d she said. \u201cBut if I increase my prices here, I\u2019m not going to sell.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maribel said her Latino customer base often expects lower pricing. \u201cThey don\u2019t want to pay six or seven dollars for a bar of soap if they can go to the dollar store and get one,\u201d she said. \u201cBut they don\u2019t realize those are full of chemicals.\u201d Even so, she stays loyal to Alameda. \u201cI do try out different markets, but I always come back here,\u201d she said. \u201cI have really faithful customers that look for me wherever I\u2019m at.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Maribel Leyna smiles brightly at her MIDG Beauty bar at the Alameda Night Market. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Iris Martinez: \u201cEvery Interaction Is Different\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Iris Martinez lining up one “Donut on a Stick” order. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Iris Martinez never expected to start a donut business. But after helping her mom at the night market, she decided to launch something of her own. \u201cI saw people walking around with mini pancakes and stuff, but I never saw donuts,\u201d she said. \u201cI wanted something creative, something different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I started Crazy Donuts.\u201d Her signature? Flavor inside and out. \u201cThe flavor is not just on top. It\u2019s also in the inside. You get double the flavor,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But running a booth while attending Cal State Dominguez Hills full-time was too much. \u201cI stopped doing full events,\u201d she said. \u201cNow I do single pop-ups and take Monday and Wednesday off to do orders.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iris recently started back at the night market after taking time for school and mental health. \u201cI figured I was like, I can try to keep going, but I needed to take a break,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it\u2019s always going to be here if I keep the stuff going.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A selection of handmade candles on display at the Loascentials stand. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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Five Sonny Angels rest atop a table after purchase from the Alameda Night Market. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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A collectible children’s toy available for purchase. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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Lino packaging a large order made by a nearby customer. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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Fresh agua frescas for purchase. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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Stacks and stacks of gold jewelry available at this stand at the night market. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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A children’s wonderland sits at the front of the market, with dozens of toys available for purchase. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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A close-up of the many handmade oils crafted by Maribel at her MIDG Beauty stand. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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A sideways glance at the Smashtown Burgers stand. Photo by Haylee Clophus.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>