EL CENTRO — Elizabeth Rodriguez has built something rare in the Imperial Valley—a shop that feels part treasure chest, part cultural archive, and part creative community. Her store, Tiendique, located on Main Street in El Centro, takes its name from a blend of languages.

“Boutique is obviously English for small store, so it's a mixture of English and Spanish like the culture here,” she explained.

Rodriguez has been in business for over a decade, holding her current spot for 11 years after quickly outgrowing her first location, just down the street. But the inspiration for this journey reaches back to her childhood. She remembers her grandmother dragging her to thrift shops.At first she resisted, staying in the car.

“I never liked thrift shopping. I didn't get it until finally one day I

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