Lake County mom turned her homemade piñatas into a party business
In a little Lake County town there is a business blooming with party paraphernalia in a small strip mall called Party Ideas by Anahi Silva.
The sparkling Clearlake storefront’s window catches the eye of passersby with its display of smart and traditional Mexican party wear that begs to be worn.
Walk inside the Lakeshore Drive store and there are a multitude of multi-colored piñatas suspended from the ceiling and a whole host of other jolly, toy-like papier-mâché figures colored in yellows, reds and greens, that will make any kid want to barter with their parents to take one home. For those looking for more sophisticated decor, tables decorated with ornate table cloths, dishes and napkins give inspiration to all types of party planners.
Anahi Silva, owner of the store, has lived in Clearlake for 10 years, a move she made after finding the area more affordable than her previous home in Santa Rosa.
Her party business began in 2015 as a means to an end when picking up party supplies. She was tired of going out of the county to purchase piñatas for her children's birthdays.
"I began to make the piñatas in the characters that my children wanted, and I made the decorations for them,“ she said. ”So, family and friends gave me the idea of opening my business. I thought that if I knew how to make them, it would be a fun way for a child or adult to enjoy a party by having their favorite characters as a piñata."
Party Ideas piñatas are elaborately decorated to resemble well-known characters like Spider-Man, Barbie, Super Mario and PawPatrol characters. Others take the shape of trucks, tacos, butterflies and big numbers. All have an internal container that’s big enough to hold candy or small toys, and they are made to withstand multiple whacks from adults and children alike at Mexican parties and other celebrations.
Other party items in the shop include balloons, bracelets, keychains, communion candles and other decorations for baptisms and confirmations. The business also rents out table linens and other specialty decor pieces.
Although business is still slowly recovering from the pandemic, Silva said she isn’t worried because now more than ever people have reasons to celebrate milestones like baby showers, weddings and quinceañeras. This time of year is particularly busy for the small business owner and her two daughters who work at the shop. Then it slows down in December only to pick back up in the spring.
Silva said most customers shop for quinceañeras and are a big money-maker for the business.
“I hired her (Silva) to create a large balloon backdrop for photos, a beautiful backdrop for my daughter’s center table, sparkly linens for her head table and her cake stand,” said customer Yare Dominguez who worked with Silva for her daughter’s quinceañera.
Silva feels that her business allows her to be creative, and it’s a way to teach her daughters and the community at large about Mexican traditions.
Crafting a party business
Creativity has always been a family affair for Silva.
When thinking of mentors, she credits her sister and mother for embracing their own creativity when Silva was young. While the family was living in Mexico, the two would often make the piñatas for family gatherings at Christmas. It’s a tradition Silva would later pass down to her two daughters, who expressed the interest to learn the craft when they were about 7 years old.
“I make traditional piñatas and this beautiful tradition is important for the 21st century because it will help young people who live in a different environment than previous generations ... to give them the learning of traditions in our culture that enriches young people,” Silva said.
Silva's children, all daughters, dabble in making party decorations. Her older daughters Angeline and Brisbany Garcia are in charge of building the piñatas for the business. Their sister Xiomara, who is 8, is learning now and really likes it.
“I learned by watching and then making pinatas,” said Angeline. “My sister and I think it is fun, and is not like work."
Silva said her favorite piñatas to make are the cartoon ones.
Small business with big award
In 2021, Silva competed in Hands Up Lake County, a small-business competition where participants receive training and support in crafting business plans. Participants fine-tune their proposals and present them to a group of judges in the hopes of winning money for their business.
JP Morgan and Chase found that more Latino entrepreneurs are starting small businesses faster than the rest of the population in the United States. They estimate Latino businesses will make up 29% of the U.S. market by 2050, up from 17% today.
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