After living in several cities in two different countries, Efren Bernal has decided to make Albert Lea his home.

Tuesday, February 20, 2001

After living in several cities in two different countries, Efren Bernal has decided to make Albert Lea his home.

&uot;I think I’ll stay here for a while, a long time,&uot; he said.

Bernal moved here in November 1998 from Missouri to work at Farmland Foods. But after a few months, he had opened a new store with his wife, Laura Leal, in Albert Lea – La Bamba Mexico Store.

&uot;I came to check out Albert Lea,&uot; Bernal, a native of Mexico, said. &uot;I saw there was only one Mexican store.&uot;

He said with the Hispanic population continuing to grow in this community, two stores could be supported. He would even like to see more similar businesses in town.

The major money-makers at his store include grocery items, video rentals, music tapes and compact discs and, most of all, prepaid phone cards.

These phone cards provide inexpensive calling to Mexico and other countries. He said the cards are much less expensive than using a regular long-distance phone company to call out of the United States.

Bernal also believes he could do a lot more business in Albert Lea. Talking with other Mexican store owners in Austin and Wells has given him several ideas for new merchandise to carry.

But in order to do that, he said he needs more space. He would like to expand his store in the next few months.

He gets most of his merchandise from several different companies in Houston, Chicago and California. He personally picks up much of his stock in Chicago every Wednesday, the only day of the week he is closed.

Although Bernal said he enjoys Albert Lea, he did have one major objection that many folks share.

&uot;It’s too cold,&uot; he said.