«Changarro» is synonymous with «cowbell»
The dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) recognizes two meanings of the term changarro . The first of them refers to a cowbell : a small metal bell that is attached to the neck of an animal, usually a cow.
Locator bell
The changarro contributes to the location of the specimen that carries it. Thanks to its sound , the farmer can find and identify the cattle.
Mexican changarro
The notion of changarro, on the other hand, is used in Mexico to name a small store . A changarro, in this sense, is a shop with few products. The changarros are very important for the economy . Many Mexicans make their living from these businesses that can sell different kinds of items.
It is common for a street food stall to be called changarro, even if it is a street food stall. A large number of people go to changarros every day to eat and taste cakes, tacos, empanadas, fresh waters and other options.
Beyond operating irregularly on many occasions or the instability of the business, changarros frequently become the only possible job option for thousands of Mexicans, especially young people. Faced with the impossibility of finding formal employment, many individuals end up investing their savings or requesting a loan to start a business.
According to different reports, the changarros were greatly affected by the coronavirus pandemic . Due to their limited resources, they have more difficulties than large businesses in adapting to the new reality and complying with health regulations.
COVID-19 against the changarro
One of the situations that occurred most frequently during the time of the coronavirus pandemic in the changarros of Mexico was a significant decrease in customers, which was replaced by a large percentage of people who came to order food but that he didn't have money to pay it . This led the country's small merchants to border on bankruptcy, although this economic nightmare did not manage to put an end to solidarity , which was able to shine above the crisis.
This was part of the movement recognized by the slogan “ Together We Will Move Forward ”, through which many stores helped those who needed it most. Particularly speaking of changarro owners, changes in health standards and high operating costs prevented a large number of business owners from reopening their stores, so that they lost their only source of income from one day to the next, ignored by their own government. Despite this, the people knew how to protect one of their cultural icons in the absence of support from the leaders.
In Mexico, the "changarro" is a small, generally family-owned store.
The changarro has long held an irreplaceable place in Mexican culture , and has been able to adapt to different commercial fashions time and time again. In an ideal world we should not "eliminate" good traditions to establish new ones, but rather we could ensure that they coexist in harmony. Returning to the solidarity campaign, the coronavirus pushed many people to order food in restaurants and stores ; some began offering dozens of free meals per day, even exceeding fifty.
Against the threats of COVID-19, the majority of Mexicans who started new businesses throughout 2020 did so by betting on their traditional changarro, some of which had ten employees. In most cases these are family groups that decided to start working on their own to face the crisis. The most common situation during this stage of changarro flourishing was the loss of stable work , which led hundreds of thousands to become self-employed.