35-year-old Francisco Javier’s journey from Michoacán, Mexico, to America was not an easy one.

“I came here looking for better opportunities, but adjusting took me a lot of time. It wasn’t easy with the language barrier, and no American education,” he says. It was the sole determination and drive to prosper that led him to D&M Universal Hardware located on Broadway and 231st Street in the Bronx, New York, where he rose from assistant to manager of the business in a short amount of time.

Now, having worked there 12 years, Javier talks about how local hardware businesses offer an alternative to the hardware chain store.

“When a customer comes in, we assist them in anything they may need – it’s my job to personally guide them in acquiring the products they are looking for. . .If someone needs a piece of wood, I won’t just guide them to the aisle, I will give them extensive background on the options we offer, and let them decide from there.” Through his years at D & M Universal Hardware, Javier has gained knowledge on what to sell for quick repairs, and acquired new skills, like offering locksmith services to customers who may need a key or lock duplicated.

It’s this one-on-one approach that local businesses offer in contrast to major retailers that are vital to the local Latino community of the Bronx, New York. “The majority of our customers are Hispanic,” Javier says. “Being able to speak to them in Spanish and relate on a more personal level keeps them coming back, and moves the business forward.”

D & M Universal Hardware has been in business to the local community of the Bronx for more than a decade, and continues to expand today. Recently, they partnered with Sigue Corporation in order to offer money transfer services from the US to countries in Latin America. “We saw a need in the neighborhood, and we are fulfilling it,” says Javier of the new business venture, which will focus on their Hispanic customers.

Of his future, Javier hopes to open his own hardware store in a couple years, using the knowledge and skills he’s gained at D & M Universal Hardware. When asked what he could advise young Latinos hoping to start their own business, he says:

” Save your money, and invest it correctly. Be focused and driven with what you want, and pursue it.”