WPBN: Palm Beach County’s first Hispanic supermarket west of Florida‘s Turnpike is now located in the village thanks to the opening of a new location for the family-run grocery company El Bodegón.
Offering a large selection of Latin American and Caribbean goods, the 38,000 square foot store is situated in the old Beall’s retail location at the Village Shoppes on State Road 7. It features a bakery, a sit-down restaurant, and butchers of meat and seafood.
The businesses were established in 1998 by Carlos Mario Ortiz, the father of Andrew Ortiz. According to him, they are keeping up with the trend of more Hispanics relocating farther west after witnessing the growth in the county’s western suburbs. The corporation has seven locations, six of which are in the county, with several of them being between Greenacres and West Palm Beach.
Born and reared in Wellington, the younger Ortiz stated that the family’s goal was to introduce the Latin American grocery experience to every person living in the western communities.
In Spanish, Ortiz stated, “There are just more and more Latinos living here.” Next up is my generation, the second generation of Latinos who were raised in both their family’s and America’s cultures.
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Opening in the village is a milestone for the family, according to Andrew Ortiz, who noted that their Greenacres and West Palm Beach shops have accumulated loyal customers from Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, and Loxahatchee during the previous 26 years.
Brands from all around Latin America and the Caribbean, including Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, are stocked in the store’s spacious aisles. Tropical fruits and vegetables, such as yuca, passion fruit, and plantain leaves, are available in the produce area.
With a section for prepared meats and a counter manned by several butchers who cut meats, cheeses, and shellfish to order, the meat and poultry section stretches through the back of the store.
The El Bodegón in Royal Palm Beach is the second location to have a full-service restaurant where patrons can sit and order cafécitos, appetizers, and a meal from an a la carte menu from breakfast through supper. It also has the chain’s famous bakery and hot food deli.
A flower shop, a window for sending money and packages overseas, and stations for hand-made tortillas to-go are all available at the store.
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El Bodegón strives to provide a Latin American experience in addition to groceries.
According to his son, Carlos Mario Ortiz sought to create El El Bodegón by combining all of the essential Latin and Caribbean goods into a single location and introducing the “bodegon culture,” which elevates the store above a simple grocery store.
El Bodegon wants to give customers a welcoming experience that encourages them to remain and savor the warmth and aromas of Hispanic and Caribbean culture while providing a space for socializing with friends and neighbors.
According to Andrew Ortiz, customers may read the news on their phones while indulging in guava-and-cheese pastries. While perusing the aisles, customers can munch on empanadas. Additionally, before or after shopping, they can sit down to eat a home-cooked meal.
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According to Ortiz, El Bodegón takes pride in its butcher and bakery staff providing customers with individualized services, such as memorizing their names, making special orders, and locating the rarest meats for its sancochos and asados.
In addition, the restaurants have developed into a meeting spot for locals during former Palm Beach County Commissioner Michael Barnett’s coffee hour and a campaign stop for current Commissioner Joel Flores during the election last autumn.
