For more than 30 years now, Botanica Victoria has been a Division Street staple, offering various herbal remedies and religious goods.
"This type of business has always existed in my family," Victoria said in Spanish. "I've been in the business for over thirty years. Previously, my mother, my aunt, my sister — they were all focused on this."
Victoria was born in Michoacán, Mexico, where her family began their business. She opened Botanica Victoria in the 1990s, and now, it's one of the oldest Latina owned businesses, specifically for botánicas.
Evan Cano is Victoria's grandson and also works in the store. He said botánicas, or religious goods stores, are common in Latin and Afro-Latin communities.
"It is most certainly a cultural practice, especially in more rural parts of Mexico where there's not too much medicines readily available," Cano said. "There's people who would go to their grandmother, and they just kind of pass it on through generations, that knowledge of what medicine works."
At Botanica Victoria, the shelves are stocked with stones, sage, religious texts, jewelry and more.
"Our most popular products tend to be the candles," Cano said. "We actually bless the candles here as well in store, and blessing them kind of just entails saying prayers over the candle, making an herbal offering for the candle as well."
The store also offers spiritual cleanses, which Cano said gets rid of negative energy and ushers in good luck and prosperity.
And while there are several botánicas located throughout Chicago, Victoria said this store stands out from others.
"We have items from all religions and we respect all religions," Victoria said. "If you're looking for something from a different religion, and we don't have it, we'll try to get it for you."
Cano adds that while many larger retailers sell some of the same items, that often hurts small businesses like Botanica Victoria.
"Larger, corporate businesses such as Amazon and Walmart sometimes carry items that we sell in the store and that impacts us as a small business when some people purchase from them instead of purchasing local," he said.
Victoria adds that when customers visit the store in-person, they can also discover items they might not have found before.
"We hope that they find interesting things, things that catch their attention, and that they develop an interest in them," she said.
Cano said they also want customers to leave the store feeling refreshed and inspired.
"We hope that clients leave with a good image of the store and of themselves," he said. "And good emotions because we try to kind of have a good vibe in the store and just kind of make it more tranquil."