“We are originally from Durango. My dad moved here (Monclova) to work at Altos Hornos de Mexico. (AHMSA)” Alejandro Alcantar.
Alejandro’s family story is essentially the same untold story of many of the families that populate the Monclova area. Monclova spawns from a darker history, known as the place were several heroes of the Mexican Independence Movement such as Juan Aldama, Ignacio Allende, Miguel Hidalgo, and Jose Mariano Jimenez were captured, imprisoned, and killed by the Spanish crown.
Present-day Monclova is a thriving industrial zone; at its core, AHMSA (The largest steel plant in Mexico) – Many would claim that AHMSA is Monclova’s cornerstone; nevertheless, as we explored every inch of Monclova, we found a hidden gem, Mercado Guadalupe. AHMSA could claim their heavy real estate reach within Monclova, but it is Mercado Guadalupe that has the right to claim the hearts and souls of the people of Monclova, by pumping daily the spark of life into the arteries of the hard-working families of Monclova.
Mercado Guadalupe is a family-owned grocery store that has managed to stand up to corporate chains from the area and continues to grow successfully in a nation where valued business morals are difficult to find. Mercado Guadalupe’s recipe for success is quite simple: Best prices, great product, and amazing people. What qualifies someone as an Amazing person? Based on your biases, these could vary widely. While in Mercado Guadalupe, we notice two team members that stood out, two amazing individuals, Juan & Abundio Ledezma. The brothers are the definition of hard work, dedication, loyalty, and trust.
It’s been a while since we observed such a high level of commitment from someone. We left Mercado Guadalupe aspiring to be more like them. The adventure in Monclova aided us to appreciate many of the things we have taken for granted back home. The way an entire community rallied daily behind Mercado Guadalupe, provoked us to think deeper about the unfound possibilities of life.
Our visit to Monclova concluded at Hacienda Quinta Ilusion. A beautiful ranch that can be rented. It offers great amenities and an invaluable stress-free environment. Daniel Flores, the ranch owner, was one of the nicest and most hospitable persons we have ever met.
We left Monclova motivated to worked harder than we ever have, to care deeper than we ever have, and to love farther than we ever have.
Special thanks to Araceli Alcantar for her Hospitality and for the grand tour of Monclova.
Fehrenbach,T.R.,(1995, updated). Fire and Blood: a history of Mexico, New York: Da Capo Press, p.331
"Altos Hornos de Mexico SAB de CV". Financial Times. Retrieved 29 November 2016