3 Honduran Small Businesses To Support

How far do you go to support small businesses in your everyday life?

Thanks to technology we have the ability to find, and support small business owners all over the planet.

Small businesses are at the root of many standard systems of living in many countries. And there was a time that small businesses were the only way to do business. We romanticize waking up and going to the local market. But this literally is the most accessible, and most affordable way to have access to food and basic necessities. Small businesses can often seem like novelties. But they are really at the core of how we exchange goods and services.

I have mentioned, from time to time, that my husband is from Honduras. If you are not familiar with the country, it is located in Central America, situated between Guatemala and Nicaragua. Unsurprisingly, we spend a lot of time in Honduras.

We recently travelled to Honduras in April. By nature of it’s culture, we usually support small businesses natutally every day. Here are some of the highlights of small businesses we were able to support while there.

Pulpería 

Pulperías  are an essential part to everyday life in Honduras (and really all of Central America). A pulpería is a small corner store that sells everything from snacks, to beer, to your everyday essentials. You can stop by a pulpería  on your way home from school to grab a bag of chips and a soda. You can pick up eggs and oil for dinner. Ran out of toilet paper, detergent, menstrual products, or diapers? A pulpería has you covered.

If you are from the United States, a pulpería is similar to stopping at your local CVS or Walgreens. But by being a small business, pulperías bring something extra to the experience.

While you can visit any pulpería, you tend to frequent the one(s) near your home the most. You get to know the owner and their family personally; you trust each other and often you are friends. You also know that your purchase, no matter how practical, is supporting their livelihood.

For larger pulperías, like the one near my husband’s home, it is also a gathering spot. They will have some tables and chairs and friends and neighbors can casually gather together to talk, to have a drink, or to play a game like cards or dominos. Almost every evening in Honduras ends with time at the pulpería.

Pulperías are community driven and thrive because of community.

GT Beauty

GT Beauty is a cruelty free, indie makeup brand based in Honduras. This female owned business is my is my first international makeup brand to support.

Below are the products that I purchased and my review is 1000% YES:

Here is what I love about their products. You will very quickly find that she took the time to ensure the highest quality products. I have seen a million reviews of so many mass produced, big name makeup brands, and they don’t stand up to the quality of GT Beauty.

All of her eyeshadows are super pigmented and have huge payoff with next to no fall out. If you aren’t into makeup, that means that the colors are really concentrated and apply evenly and densely, without patchy spots. No fall out means that almost all of the product is landing on your eye direct from the palette, there is not dust getting everywhere, which can be common with lower quality eyeshadows. Also, all of her eyeshadows, especially the glitters, I can apply without a base, and they are so vivid and stay on without moving.

I own some bougie makeup palettes, but GT Beauty are the highest quality paletes I own and I will reach for them first over and over.

What is also unique is that GT Beauty used Honduras as their inspiration for all of their products. This is insane representation. Honduras has sometimes been left off the list when it comes to being represented. The makeup brushes are inspired by the national bird of Honduras, La Guacamaya (Scarlet Macaws), and the eyeshadow names are all after different cities and municipalities in Honduras. She also has a fun line of lip glosses, which I regret not buying but I was on a budget, so I will have to pick them up next time. All of her lip glosses are named after common Honduran Slang phrases. Which, if you know you know. ¿Que pedo maje?

If you are interested in making a purchase, here are few things to know:

• GT Beauty functions under a very Honduran business model. There is not a website to place your purchase. You can contact them via Whatsapp to place your order and confirm pricing, and then the payment process will depend on whether you are in or out of the country.

• GT Beauty does ship to the United States and Spain. But I found it easiest to coordinate when I knew I was going to be in Honduras.

• Prices are in Lempira, which is the currency of Honduras. A quick Google search for a currency converter can tell you how much it is in your currency. But Lempiras are typically between 22-24 Lempira per 1 USD.

Aroma Candle Store

I lucked out and discovered Aroma Candle Store towards the end of our trip because it suddenly dawned on me that I had never done a search for Small Businesses in Honduras. I know, what was I thinking?

So I took to Instagram and found a handful of great accounts, but most of the businesses were located in San Pedro Sula, which was a considerable distance from where I was. But, I found Aroma Candle Store and it was even more amazing in person!

Aroma Candle Store produces a variety of handpoured candles and scent products and has a mission of being environmentally sustainable, female owned, and inspiring the world every day.

The owner is also candid on her Instagram account about her life living with anxiety. While this nothing to do with a business model, it is a perfect example of why I am so passionate about supporting small businesses. Anxiety, and all struggles with mental health impact so much of the community, and her willingness to be vulnerable and share this aspect of her life is an authenticity that I value. It is a reminder that there is a “person” behind the business. And that, even if the goal is for us to buy things, it isn’t always about the products. It is about relationships, and the people on both ends of the transaction.

Also, mental health carries different stigmas or different levels of understanding in different countries – sometimes even in different parts within a country – this representation that she provides is giving a voice to everyone who may not be finding this community currently, whether in Honduras or elsewhere.

Unfortunately, I did not photograph every item that I bought. I picked up some items for gifts for some family members, and they have already been sent to their forever homes. But I picked up some soy wax poured candles in tins in the scents Apple Bourbon and Citrus Splash. Apple Bourbon smells like the perfect fall blend of apples and caramel. Citrus Splash smells like that iconic sweet orange scent from the 90s that I don’t know what it was called but it was EVERYTHING.

Aroma Candle Store also offers easy sustainable options, like candle refills and discounts for bringing in your own bag.

I also picked up this nude female body candle in the scent Blue Forest. In case you are wondering, I will not be burning this one. I have admired variations of these candles for ages, and there is just something that screams feminism to me when I see it.

Aroma Candle Store also sells products from PIU Design, which is another Honduran artist who creates beautiful candle holders, ring holders, and trays with flowers preserved in resin. I picked up this small ring holder and I gifted my mom a beautiful tealight holder.

Next Time

My plan moving forward is each time that we go to Honduras, I am going to look for a couple new small businesses to visit and make a purchase from. Even if you are not travelling to Honduras anytime soon (although you really should), I encourage you to follow these businesses on their social media, share with friends, and help support them. If you remember, you don’t always need to make a purchase to support a small business. Be a part of the small business community no matter your interests, financial situation, or where you are located.

And as always, let me know if you have a recommendation of a small business I should check out. Message me on Instagram or Facebook or send me an e-mail. I can’t wait to hear from you and would love to hear how you are supporting small businesses!