Tastemakers 2009 Guillermo Uribe
by JULIAN STEIN / produced by MAYER RUS / portrait by PEDEN + MUNK
Uribe has been addressing issues of identity since he was child. “My father’s friends would call me ‘pocho’ [a derisive term for an assimilated Mexican immigrant] because I wore Dickies and Dodger caps and used a hybrid of Spanish and English that I picked up in the streets of East L.A.” It wasn’t until he turned 33, listening to the radio show Pocho Hour of Power with Lalo Alcaraz, that he came to a realization: “I should be proud of my new culture, as it was a result of my ancestors migrating to the U.S. to improve their lives.”
He conceived his club, Eastside Luv Wine Bar y Queso, as a space for Mexican-Americans to celebrate their culture, past and present. Built in the heart of Boyle Heights, where Uribe was born and raised, Eastside Luv deliberately erases stereotypes of seedy East L.A. nightlife with a wide variety of boutique Californian and South American vintners, hipster chic wallpaper made from old Mexican movie posters and low-rider-inspired “chain-deliers.”
With the extension of the Metro Gold Line to Mariachi Plaza due for imminent completion, Uribe, who has a 20-year lease, is a step ahead of Hollywood developers. “Last week some guys came in here, we sat down, they enjoyed the sangria and they wanted to buy me out,” he says. “They were gonna put up a Barnes & Noble—they sure do their market research. I saw that a Starbucks just opened down the block, but I’m not going anywhere.”
Categories: Culture / Drinks / Food
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Verify your Comment
Previewing your Comment
This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
I keep hearing about this place everywhere I go. I went there for the first time recently - how interesting to know the story behind it. Great new local spot with all LA appeal.
Posted by: Jen | 08/03/2009 at 04:41 PM
Good writing Julian. Looking forward to reading more!
Posted by: Sasha BK | 08/04/2009 at 01:16 PM
Im all about the "chain-deliers"...we need a place like this on the westside of LA. Great article Julian.
Posted by: Jacob | 08/04/2009 at 02:36 PM
great work julian, cant wait till im back in LA and can check this place out :)
Posted by: Nigel Blankenship | 08/06/2009 at 02:21 PM
Great post! It's important for us to support local, authentic businesses like these that truly speak to the diversity and vibrant culture of LA's food/drink scene. Thanks for getting this on my radar. I particularly enjoy visualizing the barnes & noble corporate types getting the boot...
Posted by: Katie B. | 08/27/2009 at 01:18 PM