Mercado Vendor opens restaurant in Downtown Moline

On December 21, 2022 Mercado on Fifth vendor Las Salsas Doña Mary celebrated the grand opening of their first brick and mortar restaurant with a celebratory ribbon cutting. The restaurant is located at 1534 6th Avenue, Moline.

Moline city staff and elected officials, as well as members of Renew Moline were present.

Many in the restaurant industry know Alejandro Garcia. He’s worked everywhere from Ruby Tuesdays, Red Robin and Outback Steakhouse over the past 28 years.

Maria Garcia, or Doña Mary as she’s known, has made a name for herself as a caterer for family and private parties. It’s been a dream of hers for many years to take the next step and open their own restaurant.

She took the Food Sanitation Manager class in Spanish after Mercado on Fifth partnered with Blackhawk College to bring the certification program to the QC.

Soon after, they began renting the storefront at 1534 6th Ave. Moline. Many issues with the space set them back- a faulty air conditioner unit, even a roof caving in. Nevertheless, they persisted.

The business finally got its start this summer at Mercado on Fifth and drew long lines each week for their handmade tortillas and variety of guisados like chicharrón or nopales.

Now patrons can try an expanded menu of foods and aguas frescas in downtown Moline Monday-Saturday for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

We're Hiring!

OFFICE MANAGER OPPORTUNITY OVERVIEW

Mercado in Fifth is seeking an Office Manager with a passion for finance as well as excellent organizational and leadership skills. As the MoF Office Manager, you will manage most aspects of MoF's day to day bookkeeping and keep office and business operations running smoothly. This position requires working Monday through Friday from the MoF office an average of 40 hours per week. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

General Bookkeeping

  • Manage MoF vendor fee billing and track weekly payments.

  • Create and manage sponsor invoices.

  • Pay bills and contractors, including bands and security.

  • Deposit cash and checks as necessary.

  • Withdraw cash for MoF bar change weekly.

  • Train coworkers on financial processes and internal controls.

  • Provide back-up for payroll processing and reporting when needed.

  • Assist Treasurer and BoD to develop and monitor annual budget based on the agreed upon strategic objectives.

  • Assist management team to track MoF assets.

  • Other accounting-related duties as assigned.

Office & Business Management

  • Lead weekly staff meetings.

  • Coordinate general office administration (manage organization phone and email and route communications to appropriate staff members).

  • Research and recommend various contractors and services.

  • Support staff with negotiating, reporting and tracking related to contracts.

  • Ensure compliance and appropriate reporting in accordance with grants, contracts and local, state and federal laws.

  • Develop, improve and communicate office and financial systems and protocols to coworkers, vendors and others as needed.

  • Serve as the staff liaison to the BoD, (prepare and send board meeting invites and agenda, assist with BoD development activities including board member recruitment, orientation, training and recognition).

  • Manage office cleaning and organizing; maintain and order office supplies.

  • Other office management related duties as assigned.

Studies have shown that women, nonbinary folks, and People of Color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications described in a job description. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a background less traditional to our field of work, and that’s okay! We strongly encourage all interested candidates to apply.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Degree in accounting or finance, or equivalent experience

  • Professional experience in accounting and/or bookkeeping

  • Experience in program-level budgeting (creation, forecasting, reporting, and analysis) 

  • Proficiency in Google Sheets/QuickBooks (or similar spreadsheet programs/accounting programs)

  • Experience in office management and administration 

  • Experience working for a non-profit organization

  • Experience supervising staff and/or volunteers

  • Strong organizational, prioritization and time management skills

  • Ability to work independently and take initiative

  • Attention to detail and a knack for efficient systems and processes

  • Team-oriented, including good interpersonal communication and collaborative problem-solving skills

  • Ability to learn quickly and to seek guidance and/or additional information when needed

  • Experience managing multiple projects and timelines, including task delegation and/or coordination with others

  • Spanish language proficiency

  • Willing to agree to a criminal background check

COMPENSATION

This position is paid hourly: 

$18-25/HR

8 paid holidays

PTO offered after first year

HIRING PROCESS

To apply, applicants should send a résumé and cover letter to mercadoonfifth@gmail.com. 

Mercado on Fifth is an equal opportunity employer. Mercado on Fifth does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.

Mercado on Fifth celebrates Small Business Saturday in new Moline space

WQAD - On Nov. 26,  Mercado on Fifth opened up a new retail space for small business owners during Small Business Saturday.

"Today, we opened up the new Mercado building to let them have another opportunity to sell their products just ahead of the holiday season," said Mercado on Fifth's co-founder and President, Maria Ontiveros.

One seller, Austin Harned, who runs Quartz Botanicals, said he's grateful for all the non-profit has done for him and other small-business owners.

"I really can't put into words how much it meant to be at Mercado and get that opportunity," said Harned. "It put my products and my stuff out in front of a huge crowd of people."

And Maria Garcia, owner of Las Salsas Dona Mary's, said she hopes the opportunity to sell her Mexican cuisine at Mercado on Fifth, will help jumpstart the restaurant she is opening next month. 

"I'm trying to work full time for my future and for my kids and my family," said Garcia.

She's also a wife and a mother who is trying to teach her two children the value of working hard for their dreams.

"[My son] can try [to do anything he wants]," said Garcia. "If he likes this kind of business, he can work at with us or he can go to college and look at other jobs. He can learn how to work hard."

Garcia says her restaurant will be open at 1534 6th Ave in Moline in December. 

Harned's shop is located at 1515 5th Avenue in Moline.