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Show Oral History Program Jose “Chewy Jr.” Lopez and Jose Don “Chewy Sr.” Lopez Interviewed by Sandra Nieto 9 December 2013 Oral History Program Weber State University Stewart Library Ogden, Utah Jose “Chewy Jr.” Lopez Jose Don “Chewy Sr.” Lopez Interviewed by Sandra Nieto 9 December 2013 Copyright © 2014 by Weber State University, Stewart Library Mission Statement The Oral History Program of the Stewart Library was created to preserve the institutional history of Weber State University and the Davis, Ogden and Weber County communities. By conducting carefully researched, recorded, and transcribed interviews, the Oral History Program creates archival oral histories intended for the widest possible use. Interviews are conducted with the goal of eliciting from each participant a full and accurate account of events. The interviews are transcribed, edited for accuracy and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewees (as available), who are encouraged to augment or correct their spoken words. The reviewed and corrected transcripts are indexed, printed, and bound with photographs and illustrative materials as available. The working files, original recording, and archival copies are housed in the University Archives. Project Description The Weber State College/University Student Projects have been created by students working with several different professors on the Weber State campus. The topics are varied and based on the student’s interest or task for a specific assignment. These oral history assignments were created to help Weber State students learn the value and importance of recording public history and to benefit the expansion of the Weber State oral history collections. ____________________________________ Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account. It reflects personal opinion offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ____________________________________ Rights Management This work is the property of the Weber State University, Stewart Library Oral History Program. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Lopez, Jose “Chewy Jr.” & Jose Don “Chewy Sr.”, an oral history by Sandra Nieto, 9 December 2013, WSU Stewart Library Oral History Program, University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. iii Jose “Chewy Jr.” Lopez and Jose Don “Chewy Sr.” Lopez December 9, 2013 Abstract: The following is an interview with Jose “Chewy Jr.” Lopez and his father Jose Don “Chewy Sr.” Lopez, conducted by Sandra Nieto on December 9, 2013. In this interview, Jose discusses his experiences as a Latino business owner and his hopes for the Latino community in Ogden. SN: My name is Sandra Nieto and I’m going to be interviewing Chewy Jr. and Chewy Sr. What is the name of this place? JL: It’s called Chewy’s Place. SN: Chewy when did you open your business? JL: October 1st 2010. SN: We can start with where are you from. JL: We’re from California. SN: And what made you decide to move to Utah? JL: My parents, my parents moved here and we, actually I came to visit them and then kinda liked it so we moved over here. We saw this was a nice area for a business, so I put my knowledge to work and applied for a business. They opened the doors for me. SN: Was it hard to obtain that license? JL: It wasn’t at all. 1 SN: Did you have any problems? JL: No problem what so ever. SN: Have you ever applied for a loan from the city or from the state? JL: I have not. SN: How did you open your business? JL: I opened up with me loving cellphones, I just had one cellphone two cellphones and I just put them online, so started buying and selling. Our first business was across the street actually and they offered me a location at a monthly fee which I accepted and it kicked off from there. SN: Chewy, how do you promote your business? JL: We do a lot of Facebook and KSL. KSL has worked really well for us, Google Search and a little bit of Vista Print websites. SN: Have you had any problems with renewing your licenses for your business? JL: Not at all. Actually they love us at the licensing place here in Ogden. SN: May I ask why you chose Ogden? JL: Ogden. Because this is the only place I knew since I moved here from California. This was the closest kind of familiar to the California, Los Angeles area. I really don’t know I guess because this is where I got offered the first location. So I just went ahead and never moved from there. 2 SN: What do you mean familiar to California? JL: Well the environment Hispanic, Latino area. SN: Do you think it’s a good location for a Hispanic business? JL: It’s a good location to purchase here. We are looking into maybe expanding to the Clinton area, Davis area. It’s good for sales over there so we could probably purchase here and sell in the Clinton location SN: So do you think it’s good for a Latino business to be established here in Ogden? JL: It’s good, I don’t have a problem. It’s a pretty good area to start if you have an idea or just have a dream. You can pursue it here. I think of it. I’ve had no problems in the past. SN: Do you know of any programs that would help people like you open a business? JL: I’ve heard of nonprofit organizations that help you out but you have to apply and really look into it. You can’t just check it out and then walk out. I know there are programs out there, I know there’s one as a matter of fact at Weber State, I’ve never reached out to them but if I had the chance I’d like too. SN: Is there anything else you would like to add? DL: We agree with everything he says. So we’re fine. SN: So would you invite other people to open a business? 3 JL: I would invite everyone that’s serious and would be dedicated to opening a business, I would highly recommend it. For me coming from California, I was used to something else and Ogden opened the doors for me. It changed me into a whole different person, I was confused in the beginning, there are ups and there are downs but I just never gave up. I had good support here from my dad so he came in when I was stressing over money and stuff like that he backed me up. He plays a big role here. So family is really important to have by your side. SN: Has your business been linked or have you helped your community in any way? JL: I donate to some nonprofit organizations. I have some receipts here lying around. We give out a lot, a lot of people that come out, they come in asking for a handout and I understand why because that’s what I do for them. They come in asking for batteries or to get their phone checked out, some people try to take advantage of that, but I feel we donate a lot and we do give back to the community. I’m actually trying to apply to become a nonprofit organization myself to try to reach out more. SN: If you could change something or do something for the Latino community in Ogden what would it be? JL: I would start off with drugs. That is my main thing, that’s what I’m trying to do for my nonprofit. To try to keep kids off the street, try to keep them busy. Even adults, I’ve helped out a lot, I’ve bailed people out and I try to stick with them. I think drugs would be my main focus if I was to start a nonprofit. I’ll try to communicate with them one on one, personally. 4 SN: Is there anything you want to add to that? DL: We agree, we are working together and I approve whatever he’s doing. JL: He is my mentor so any thing I’m doing I ask him first before making a decision. He would break it down for me, he has lived life and I’m just starting to live, so we’re kind of like a team. In the end whatever he says goes. But then he backs me up as well. SN: Why would you want your business to become a nonprofit organization? JL: I’m looking forward to getting approved to be a nonprofit organization just for the fact that it is one of the ways I can give back to the community. From my background, coming from California, gang violence and a gang infested area. Me moving here to Utah made me see things differently. The people and environment are much better here, which allows you to switch your mind from the mentality we grew up from. I encourage the younger generation to realize that it is not just about stealing or having more. If you don’t have, it is because you don’t give. If me coming from that background of gang violence and I did it, I’m doing it and I’m not where I want to be yet but I am moving up not back. We moved from one location, which is smaller, to a little bit bigger location now and if I did it I know somebody else could. All you have to do is just ask and do it. Do not give up. Don’t be scared of asking and go for yours. SN: So you’re saying Ogden and the state of Utah is a good place to live and to raise a family? 5 JL: It is. SN: And to live life and live your dreams, right? JL: Right. Yeah, I have a little daughter now, even though they say Ogden is not one of the best areas in Utah, I would rather have her here than in LA or California. California is not bad but I came from there and we’re trying to move forward SN: Okay, is there anything you want to add? JL: Yes. I love my dad. 6 |
