A second wind for his smoking: “If I'm still open today it's thanks to Latinos”

welcome In Quebec – Latino workers are increasingly establishing themselves in our regions to the point of changing the image of this corner of the country. This summer, Le Journal went to meet them for a special report.

PLESSISVILLE | Lorenzo, or Laurent Martino, owes the survival of his business to the South American workers who love the hot peppers and tortillas he sells.

“If I'm still open today it's because of Latinos,” said the owner of Belanger's Tobacco Shop in downtown Plessisville.

Witnessing the struggles of local businesses for nearly twenty years, Laurent Martineau managed to avoid closure.

It all started with the sale of calling cards for the first waves of foreign workers to settle in the region in the early 2000s.

Then the merchant offered for sale the corn tortillas he had asked for — yellow, he remembered. Then white and blue.

Latino General Store

Today, the aisles of his tobacco shop, where white bread is rubbed with corn chips, are nothing to envy some exclusive Montreal businesses.

Small Tabagie Belanger in Plessisville has an amazing selection of hot peppers available, making it a must-have business for the area's Latina community.

Photo by Nora T. LaMontagne

Laurent Martino estimates that less than 70% of his clients are Latino.

The owner readily lists the preferences of the various communities: here, Mexican jalapeños, there, bottles of Inca cola, a Peruvian soft drink.

Further afield, small cakes that sell for a few cents in Colombia are worth a few dollars, but can easily find more nostalgic buyers.

The merchant receives deliveries from mainland France every two weeks, although this is not always enough.

“I had to pick up seven boxes of tortillas in Montreal this week, and I hope to make it by Monday,” he slips.

Such is the popularity of his business that Latinos visit him as far as Laurier-Station, 50 km away, to stock up.

A true convenience store

Unlike a Latino general store, Tabagie Belanger is a convenience store in the first sense of the word.

Because Laurent Martino is always willing to help Spanish-speaking workers, and they know it.

From working with them, he speaks excellent Spanish and knows the answers to their most common questions.

Laurent Martino, owner of Tabagie Bélanger, often makes calls in Spanish to resolve money transfer issues in Mexico or Guatemala.

Photo by Nora T. Lamontagne

Our interview was interrupted by a call in Spanish from one of his clients to resolve a money transfer issue to a bank in Mexico.

“Gracias, Lorenzo!”, the farm worker shook his hand and thanked him profusely.

It's impossible to get this kind of service at a big name gas station.

However, at the age of 72, Laurent Martino is “not forever”.

While waiting to find a replacement or a buyer, he hired a qualified activist from Cuba to help him.

“There is great scope for growth. But at 40 hours a week, I don’t have enough time to do everything,” the septuagenarian stated as he took his place behind the cash register.