PONTIAC (WXYZ) — Carnival Market in Pontiac is a grocery store, a restaurant, and a tortilla factory, and on Cinco de Mayo, it transforms into a full-blown fiesta, complete with deals, discounts, and a mariachi band.
Watch Jolie Sherman's report below
But co-owner Joe Ayiar said the celebration of Hispanic culture never really stops.
"Oh, it's a big party, fiesta," Joe Ayiar said. "Here, we make everything with care. Everything fresh, everything in-house," Joe Ayiar said.
That includes tamales, guacamole, homemade salsa, and desserts. Chips and tortillas are made fresh in the store's on-site factory every day.
The market's restaurant side draws a wide range of customers — from everyday shoppers to a local high school Spanish class that stopped in for a bite to eat.
For shopper Alexandra Andino, Carnival Market plays a central role in her Cinco de Mayo plans.
"It's just me and my husband, we'll probably call my uncle. We'll have grilled steak. I'll make guacamole, rice," Andino said. "It just means independence for Mexico. Just the freedom of our people.”
Co-owner Chris Ayiar said the store is running special promotions for both Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day.
"All of our tortillas are discounted. All the chips that we make by hand are buy two bags, get one free," Chris Ayiar said.
He says Carnival Market also carries specialty items not found at typical grocery stores, including beef and pig heads.
The store was founded by George Ayiar and his three sons, who opened it in 2009. Before Carnival Market, the family operated other grocery stores, including one in Redford Township, where they once sold a winning lottery ticket worth $43 million.
"When you walk into this store here, you think you're in Mexico," George Ayiar said.
That success helped fuel the growth of Carnival Market into the largest Hispanic market in Oakland County.
For shoppers, the store's significance goes beyond groceries. While Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in the United States than in Mexico, customers said they appreciate how the holiday introduces others to their culture.
"It can be a day where people can know more about our traditions, not talking specifically for Cinco de Mayo, but culinary, customs, music," shopper Vania Arrondo said.
For the community, Carnival Market is more than a place to shop. It's a little taste of home, every day of the year.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
