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Downtown West Palm Beach is a vibrant district shaped by people and cultures from around the world. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re spotlighting four Hispanic-owned businesses and the inspiring entrepreneurs behind them. From an award-winning marketing agency and a luxury salon to two family-owned dining destinations, these businesses bring creativity, culture, and community to Downtown West Palm Beach.

 

CRL Media

120 South Olive Avenue, Suite 704

Founded by Claudia Ruiz Levy in 2007, CRL Media is a full-service marketing agency that began when Levy realized there wasn’t an agency in Palm Beach County that served small Hispanic-owned businesses.  “As a Colombian immigrant and advertising professional, I understood many of the challenges these business owners faced,” she explains. “They needed someone who understood marketing, as well as the culture, the community, and what it takes to build a business in a new country.”

The company’s location in Downtown West Palm Beach has been advantageous, as Levy says it “brings together people from many different backgrounds.” The business owner also says having a downtown office keeps her connected to what’s happening in the community. “I like to go out for cafecito or enjoy community events after hours like Clematis by Night,” she shares.  “I’m always telling people about the new events, restaurants, and business openings in the neighborhood, which has earned me the nickname ‘La alcaldesa del Downtown,’ or ‘The mayor of Downtown’.” 

Levy’s career includes several milestones. In 2012, she received the Latina Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County. She used the opportunity to give back and organized a Dress for Success event. Partnering with Roxy’s Pub, her fundraiser drew in over 100 people and collected handbags and makeup to support women entering the workforce.

“The event showed me how quickly our downtown businesses and community can come together for a good cause,” she says. “Downtown West Palm Beach feels like the heart of our community. For an agency built around communication and community connections, it felt like a natural place to call home.”

 

Salento Coffee

407 Clematis Street 

At Salento Coffee, owner Jaime Lara says coffee is more than just a drink. This belief inspired him, his wife Johona Lara, and his late brother Alvaro Lara to open the Clematis Street coffee shop, a venture that began as a family project rooted in his Colombian heritage. “In Colombia, coffee is part of everyday life,” Lara explains. “It brings people together, creates conversation, and gives people a reason to slow down and connect. We wanted to bring that same feeling here.”

Salento Coffee uses Colombian coffee beans to make high-quality coffee, from a traditional tinto and café con leche to a variety of espresso-based drinks. The cafe’s food menu reflects both its Colombian roots and the broader flavors of Latin America, offering Colombian favorites such as arepas, empanadas, pandebono, and buñuelos alongside pastries and other specialties from across the region. These authentic flavors, paired with the coffee shop’s convenient location next to the Mandel Public Library, have made Salento a natural gathering spot for people from all backgrounds.

“Over the years, Salento has helped activate the City Hall courtyard and bring more beauty, energy, and life to the area, helping create a space where people want to gather and spend time,” Lara says. “One of the things we value most is bringing a Latin spirit to the heart of Downtown.”

Lara has been intentional about creating a space that welcomes all customers while sharing his love of Colombian culture. He says one of his proudest achievements has been hosting community get-togethers such as Qué Bacano, a free monthly Latin dance and culture celebration produced by the Downtown Development Authority and the City of West Palm Beach. 

“Events such as Qué Bacano, Día de las Velitas, and our Hispanic Heritage celebration were created from our desire to share Latin culture in a fun, welcoming, and authentic way,” Lara shares. “More than simply building a business, we’re proud to have helped create community, bring life to the courtyard, and create moments where people from different backgrounds can come together. That, for us, is one of Salento’s greatest accomplishments.”

 

Ivette Gil Beauty Design

269 Banyan Boulevard 

Ivette Gil Gutierrez has been styling hair since she was 18 and fell in love with the craft early on. She says she was drawn to the connection that comes with making people feel beautiful and confident, and opening Ivette Gil Beauty Design felt like a natural next step. “I was inspired to create a space where people could come in, feel welcomed, feel beautiful, and truly be themselves,” the Dominican-American businesswoman says. “For me, this business has never been just about hair and beauty; it’s about creating relationships and building a community.”

Gutierrez originally opened her salon on Palm Beach Island before relocating to Downtown West Palm Beach in 2021. The move was spurred in part by the city’s infectious energy. “Downtown felt like the perfect place for the next chapter of my business,” she explains. “I love the mix of established businesses, new entrepreneurs, locals, and visitors, and the sense of community that continues to grow here.” 

Today, Gutierrez remains active behind the chair, specializing in luxury bridal and event work, including celebrity weddings. One of the most rewarding parts of her career has been watching the people around her grow. Over the past few years, she says her staff has grown more confident in their talents and built successful careers within the salon. Her staff has also had the honor of sharing important life moments with their clients. 

“Our clients have become like family,” she says. “We’ve had clients who have been with us through weddings, birthdays, new jobs, major life changes, and so many beautiful chapters. But being able to provide a home where both my clients and my team feel supported, valued, and successful — that’s the milestone I’m most proud of.” 

 

Rivales Taqueria & Craft Bar

106 North Olive Avenue 

Jimmy Rivas started working in restaurants at just 14 years old. Together with his brother Alberto Valdivia, the Nicaraguan-born duo set out to redefine the local dining scene with Rivales Taqueria & Craft Bar, which offers authentic Mexican dishes featuring fresh, locally sourced produce and preservative-free meat. 

“We wanted to do a higher-end style of Mexican food with great flavor and ingredients,” Rivas says. “One thing that was important to us was making tortillas from scratch, as we noticed that not a lot of restaurants in the area were doing that. The restaurant also came about because we ate at a lot of food trucks growing up, and we wanted to have a place of our own.” 

As head chef, Rivas keeps the menu fresh, recently debuting Michoacán-style carnitas slow-cooked with a splash of Mexican Coca-Cola until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. His drink recommendation? The restaurant’s signature Rivales Margarita, made from scratch with fresh lime juice, which Rivales says is refreshing in any season.

Operating in Downtown West Palm Beach since 2014, the restaurant has built a loyal following. Over the years, Rivales has welcomed everyone from tennis superstar Serena Williams to longtime local customers who dine there three or four times a week.  That diversity of diners is precisely what makes the location so special to Rivales. 

“It feels like we’re the ‘Cheers’ of Downtown. Everyone kind of knows each other, and it’s great to see where people are coming from and what they’re doing here,” he explains. “I love being in Downtown West Palm Beach because there’s such a great sense of community and it’s growing.”