People We Meet: Juana Laurel, bridging the Mission District and Peru through art

For the past 14 years, 60-year-old Juana Laurel and her family have operated a Peruvian artisanal store in the Mission District that they affectionately refer to as a “mini Peru.”
 

Qosqo Maky, meaning "from the hands of Cusco" in Quechua, features an extensive selection of artisanal goods personally sourced by Laurel from local merchants in her hometown of Cusco. The store, located at 2515 Mission St., near 21st street, boasts walls adorned with beanies, jewelry, coats, sweaters, ceramics, paintings, and stuffed alpaca toys for children.
 

Born in Cusco in 1965, Laurel first came to the United States in 2000, following her daughter. The family initially settled in Stockton, and soon they heard about a vibrant, artistic place that would “feel like home”—the Mission District.
 

The Mission District lived up to their expectations.
 

The neighborhood became their home and, after about four years of selling at locations like the Ferry Building and the intersection of Mission and 24th streets, it was also where they opened their first brick-and-mortar store.
 

“It wasn’t like it is today,” Laurel said of the market at that time. “It used to be much more organized.”
 

Laurel quickly recognized a demand for her products in the neighborhood.
 

“I feel happy and grateful knowing that I can bring products from Cusco and have people appreciate them here,” Laurel said, proudly gazing at the items in her store. “It’s also a way for me to support those merchants in Peru, and that feels great.”
 

“Everything is handmade, hence the name of the store,” Laurel explained. “Even other Peruvians, when they walk in, say it feels like Peru.”