Shawnee Mission Post: Latino-owned businesses in Johnson County to support during Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond

Excerpt from Shawnee Mission Post
Photo by Juliana Garcia.

Although Hispanic Heritage Month ends on Oct. 15, there's time during and beyond the month to support Latino-owned businesses in Johnson County. That includes Taco Naco KC in downtown Overland Park, which is owned by Fernanda Reyes Gonzalez, who says she tries to infuse aspects of her family's Mexican heritage in her shop, including an altar for lost loved ones seen behind her in the picture above.

We’re coming up on the end of Hispanic Heritage Month — but there’s still time to support Latino-owned businesses in Johnson County this month and beyond.

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year as a way to celebrate the histories and cultures of Americans whose ancestors came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

It spans over the two months’ midpoints in order to encompass several Latin American countries’ national Independence Days, including Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Chile.

There are several Latino-owned businesses to support through the end of this week, when the celebratory month officially ends, and throughout the year, including Taco Naco KC in downtown Overland Park.

While owner Fernanda Reyes Gonzalez built a non-traditional taco menu, she says she incorporates a number of aspects from her Mexican heritage into the restaurant including an ofrenda, an altar built to honor lost loved ones.

Reyes Gonzalez also sells Mexican goods and treats in her shop, as well as products from other Latino-owned businesses in the Kansas City area, such as Yoli tortillas.