1986

In a small spot in the traditional Alameda neighborhood, a courageous woman named Luz Edith gathered a few brooms, mops, and baskets to start La Caleñita. A place that has now become a landmark in the city and a destination for travelers from around the world who come to Cali, Colombia.

We were born surrounded by the chaos of a market called Galería Alameda, a market that today is highly esteemed among the locals of Cali and brings together a large number of artisans and farmers from different regions.

1990

The commercial activity in the Alameda area grows as the years go by, becoming the meeting place for chivas from different municipalities of Colombia and city buyers, which is key for La Caleñita's commercial development. It begins to venture into new artisanal products from various parts of Colombia.

1996

During this time, Luz Edith begins to travel throughout Colombia selecting the best crafts from the country, both in quality and variety. It is during these years that she starts building her commercial relationship with artisans and communities from all over Colombia, traveling to unexplored places, getting to know cultures, crafts from different municipalities, and visiting fairs from where she brings a great variety of unique pieces; works of art crafted by artisan hands.

2000

La Caleñita starts growing on the same corner and gradually gains even more love from the people of Cali, evolving from being a crafts store to the most iconic artisanal experience in the city, which locals and national and international tourists feel compelled to visit.

2014

"Mimelao Café" is born in La Caleñita, in a corner of the company, a new business unit of the brand designed by the mastermind behind this iconic place, Luz Edith. Stephany, one of her daughters, thanks to her experience acquired in Australia as a barista, proposes to sell coffee, snacks, and sweets to enhance our customers' experience. They decide to rent a machine and start developing in-house recipes of typical “"vallunos”” snacks to offer in one place, quality, flavor, and experiences, so that everyone who knows us feels at HOME.

2015

This year is the year of internal transformation of La Caleñita. Some adjustments and expansion of spaces were made to create this magical space within the warehouse where people can gather not only to buy but also to share, work, chat, and contemplate. In this year, Mimelao Café begins to take shape to become the place where you find traditional delights recognized as the best in the city.

2017

After a career in fashion design in Italy, a fresh breeze arrives at La Caleñita, Mayra, Luz Edith's other daughter. With her, the implementation of digital strategies, product design with artisan and indigenous communities of Colombia, development of new businesses, and the start of a new brand positioning arrive so that La Caleñita is heard in every corner of Cali and the country.

2022

It is a year of great learning for Luz Edith, Mayra, and Stephany, a year in which they open the doors to new experiences, including a call from the Ministry of Tourism with which they manage to expand their business knowledge. La Caleñita participated among more than 1,500 tourism sector companies in the region and had the honor of being one of the 30 winners of the most ambitious innovation and modernization project in its history.

2023

This year, we celebrate 37 years of artisan tradition. Under Mayra's leadership, the digital transformation of the company is consolidated, bringing process standardization, operational efficiency, and data intelligence management to continue working for the actual and potential costumers, and the new generations who have yet to meet us.

FUTURE

For those who are getting to know us or still don't know us, we will continue working to continue bringing HAPPINESS MADE INTO CRAFTS to every corner of the world and their homes.