Los Andes Shop moves to Museum's plaza for summer posted on 06/01/2022
Deborah Berhó and her husband started selling sweaters that
her husband’s mom knit from her home in Chile in 1988. But they went to
college, found careers and the sweater business took a backseat.
In 2018, the pair returned to selling sweaters and more at
fairs and other events with their business, Los Andes Shop, while also setting
up shop in Government Camp during the summer. This year, they will be back at
the Mt. Hood Cultural Center & Museum’s plaza between Saturday, June 18 and
Monday, Sept. 5, offering a variety of handmade textiles, including sweaters,
jackets, blankets, couch throws, hammocks, hoodies and more, featuring various
themes, such as southwestern, sasquatch and Mount Hood.
“We are excited to be in that location this coming summer,”
said Berhó, who has a PhD in Latin American history.
The textiles they offer include many from the town of
Otavalo in Ecuador, and Berhó notes that the area has been known for its
production of fabric for centuries, ever since Spain's occupation of the
country. The hoodies they offer feature a blend of alpaca and acrylic, making
them very soft, yet washable, while they have also added items featuring
Bigfoot, including trucker hats and blankets, thanks to how popular the big
beast is.
Berhó noted that their relationships with the people who
make the textiles is a high priority, including supporting many women who get
to work at home while taking care of their children and earning a living.
“It is special,” Berhó said, adding that she and her husband
usually travel down to Ecuador in the spring. “We try to honor them and know
them as people, and that’s really fun, too.”
Their relationship with the Mountain is also important, and
Berhó noted that they have appreciated the open arms the community has offered
them.
“We have made a lot of good relationships with people on
Mountain,” she said. “We have people that come back that get a new (blanket)
each year.”
Los Andes Shop will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays
through Mondays. For more information, find them on Facebook or visit
https://losandesshop.com.
By Garth Guibord/MT
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