Mexican Grocery Store opens Downtown (Señorita Tortilla)
 |
| Logo appears on business cards from Senorita Tortilla LLC - Optopolis |
A new, small grocery store, Señorita Tortilla, has opened in Downtown Cheyenne at the corner of Warren Avenue and East 19th Street; it is a Mexican-themed take on the grocery store experience and offers many products that are made and/or sold in Mexico. Yes, the owner is bilingual; you can speak English or Spanish!
A glimpse at the history
The building at 1819 Warren Avenue which contains Señorita Tortilla also includes tenant and building owner (and StateFarm insurance agent), Anthony Ortiz. "Like a good neighbor, StateFarm is"--yeah, that StateFarm. The property assessor notes that the building was built in approximately 1961, and the property assessor's building sketch notes an add-on to the first floor of the building, dated 1986--the space Señorita Tortilla now occupies.
 |
| StateFarm's Anthony Ortiz office, seen from Warren Avenue; Senorita Tortilla is next door, and from this angle, can be seen to the right. - Optopolis |
A photo from 1977 taken by LeClercq Jones and captured before the building expansion occurred displays a tenant with a retro-looking name plate labeled, "Laramie County Abstract & Title." Google Maps Street View reveals that Abstract & Title was located here until the very late 2010s. As of the years 2007 to about 2018, the expanded portion of the building was also used by Abstract and Title.
As of August 2019, the building was seen as for rent. By December 2021, StateFarm's Anthony Ortiz set up shop in the northernmost portion of the building, and All Seasons Roofing & Restoration opened in the southern portion. By August 2023, PRMI (Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc.) occupied the southernmost space, and as of September 2024, the southern space could be seen as vacant.
Señorita Tortilla opens next to StateFarm's Anthony Ortiz
Maria, the owner of Señorita Tortilla, told Optopolis that her store opened officially in December 2024. Taking a look at Señorita Tortilla's Facebook page, it appears that work towards Maria's shop started as soon as May 2024. By the end of May, the space at 1819 Warren Avenue was beginning to see a remodel that included the removal of much of the office-style carpeting and the addition of laminate flooring. By October 16th, the shop was able to begin making tortillas, which (at that time) they were giving away for free, while supplies lasted.
 |
| A view of Senorita Tortilla when you first walk inside their entry doorway - Optopolis |
The shop posted on Facebook that they were officially open as of December 7th, 2024 with plans to have a grand opening in the coming week. On December 11th, the store held its grand opening. That leads to where things stand right now in 2025.
On January 8th, 2025, Señorita Tortilla announced that they would be changing their process of tortilla-making by, "replacing the tortilla machine and reinventing [their] business," and therefore would be temporarily not able to serve fresh corn tortillas. Maria shared with Optopolis that they are selling the previous equipment that had been used to make tortillas, then buying new equipment that will allow the store to once again offer fresh-made corn tortillas.
 |
| Some of the products available at the new grocery store - Optopolis |
The owners are also waiting for the Health Department to respond in order to allow them to use a commissary kitchen and sell grab-and-go food. As of January 31st, the store still wasn't able to offer fresh corn tortillas or fresh grab-and-go food, but canned and pre-packaged goods are still available. Some products include typical American grocery products like Lays or Doritos, but many Mexican products are also available.
In addition to groceries, Señorita Tortilla also offers bottled beverages like Fanta, 7-Up, or Coca-Cola, each of which are, "Hecho en México." Stocked products also include items like salt, rice, coconut milk, beans, spices and condiments, and other various products from a variety of companies such as Goya Foods, Masa Brosa, and Doña Maria.
 |
| Some of the many, various beverages available including Mexican Fanta and 7-Up - Optopolis |
The main entrance of the building faces Warren Avenue; to enter the store, visitors must first walk through the front door, then take an immediate right toward a second inner-door. Once inside, visitors can grab a hand basket and gather whatever goods they are interested in purchasing, then check out on their way out of the store.
As mentioned above, the store is located in Space 2 at 1819 Warren Avenue--the corner of Warren Avenue and East 19th Street. The shop is open Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM; they are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Their phone number is (307) 399-5793, and their email is senoritatortilla@gmail.com.
Comments