Local couple offers a taste of home at La Picosita Mexican store

REXBURG — For Carmen Hernandez, the dream of owning a store didn’t start with a business plan. In fact, it came long before she knew how to make such a plan.

“I’ve always wanted to open a store, ever since I was a kid,” Hernandez says.

On Nov. 19, 2025, that lifelong ambition finally took physical form with the opening of La Picosita, a vibrant Mexican store at 840 N. 2nd East in Rexburg.

The journey began in earnest with a year-long search for a location. She says she and her husband, Lenny Manilla, scouted sites across Ashton and St. Anthony, hitting dead ends at every turn.

That was until they were met with a stroke of luck.

“The first day we called (about the spot on 2nd East), the lady said we could come for the keys that day,” Hernandez recalls.

Long before the piñatas and authentic Mexican ingredients were on the shelves, Hernandez was building her following in the digital world. She began by selling handmade soaps and shampoos on Facebook, and then expanded into traditional Mexican bread.

The store’s name, however, comes from a different hustle: Hernandez’s spicy prepped shrimp.

“I used to sell prepped shrimp in little containers, and I named it La Picosita (The Spicy One) because they were really spicy,” she explains. “I started to sell those on the weekends. From there, we decided to name the store La Picosita.”

For the local community, the store has become a place of nostalgia.

“Lots of people come in and reminisce about the candies and snacks they used to eat as a kid in Mexico,” Hernandez says.

While the store is currently a hub for all the Mexican goodies, Hernandez views this year as a “test” for much larger ambitions. The couple plans to expand into a full restaurant to showcase Manilla’s love for creating food, alongside a dedicated cake section inspired by Hernandez.

For now, the weekends will highlight local foodies, serving authentic street eats like esquites (corn in a cup) and chilindrinas (topped wheat chicharrones).

“From there it’s been little by little,” Hernandez said. “We have lots of plans.”

La Picosita is open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. You can follow the store’s Facebook page for its latest updates.

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