Ragz to Riches thrift consignment shop. (Natalia Aguilar/Borderzine.com)

Mexican shoppers make El Paso trips fun tradition

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EL PASO — Daniela Caballero, a senior at UT El Paso, remembers being a young girl from Chihuahua, Mexico, and being so excited for her seasonal shopping trip in El Paso. “I would invite a friend with me and my family, and we would stay in Juarez and cross over every day. My dad would save money on the hotel by staying with family in Juarez, so we also took the opportunity to reunite with our family,” she said. Caballero’s family eventually moved to El Paso, which changed her shopping experience. “Now that my family and I have moved to El Paso, I no longer view shopping here the same way.

J.C.Penney, one of the preferred places of Mexican shoppers at El Paso. (Mariel Torres/Borderzine.com)

Mexican pesos ring up holiday sales in U.S. border cities

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ELPASO – As the holidays approach, stores around the world compete to attract the most customers, but merchants in U.S. border cities have the advantage that many Mexican customers cross the border to do their Christmas shopping here. According to study presented by the El Paso branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Mexican nationals spend approximately $1.4 billion a year in El Paso. The study conducted by economist Roberto Coronado released in June 2011 shows the huge impact of cross-border retail activity on El Paso’s economy. Adrian Mijares has managed the J.C. Penney store in downtown El Paso for more than two years. Like many downtown merchants, his store’s success is directly linked to shoppers from Mexico.