The deli owner is a motherly figure who runs a local market selling imported goods like dried codfish, plantains, and Bustelo coffee. With her plain wide face and maternal interest, she provides a welcoming, familiar presence to her displaced customers. She listens attentively to their stories and speaks to them in Spanish, intuitively understanding their homesickness and supplying the items that connect them to their roots.

An elderly customer visits the Latin deli bundled up in the folds of his winter coat. He displays the physical vulnerability of an immigrant who left a warmer climate for the United States. He brings lists of items to the shopkeeper, reading them aloud to her in a rhythmic manner that resembles spoken poetry.

A diverse group of immigrants, including Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Mexicans, frequent the local market. They treat the deli as a communal gathering space where they can speak Spanish comfortably and share their dreams and disappointments. Drawn to the familiar smells and imported products, they seek out the store for emotional comfort and a temporary connection to the homes they left behind.