![\""The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/VeryThat.jpg\")
\u201cThe South Side is like this beautiful cactus,\u201d Cristina Martinez said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to survive in all seasons \u2014 the heat, the cold, ice, rain.\u201d Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ Very That<\/p>\n\u201cThe South Side is like this beautiful cactus,\u201d Cristina Martinez said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to survive in all seasons \u2014 the heat, the cold, ice, rain.\u201d Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ Very That<\/p>\n
Cristina Martinez founded Very That in 2013, creating fun homewares, accessories and gifts that celebrate San Antonio Latina culture.<\/p>\n
From coffee mugs emblazoned with \u201cSupport local chismosas\u201d and tumblers designed to resemble Aqua Net hairspray cans to coasters featuring images of Bad Bunny and Juan Gabriel, kitchenwares have long been a part of Martinez\u2019s self-dubbed \u201cone-stop Chicana shop.\u201d <\/p>\n
We caught up the Saytown entrepreneur to talk about her journey to find herself and found that\u00a0 embracing her identity led to a popular thriving business with an online presence and a storefront at mercado-inspired South Side space Pica Pica Market, 910 SE Military Drive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Are you from San Antonio?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Born and raised on the South Side.<\/p>\n Why \u201cVery That\u201d?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Very That came from a place of pride. Very That is derived from a queer term. I had a best friend who was a drag queen here and \u201cvery that\u201d was a term around drag bars at the time. It also represents pride in my Latina culture. There was a time where you couldn\u2019t find anything Spanglish anywhere in terms of apparel and gifts. So, Very That stemmed from a pure love of pure Chicana and pride.\u00a0<\/p>\n What convinced you to open Very That?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I officially started in 2013. My mom being diagnosed with cancer inspired me to actually go through with my dream and give it my all. Years later my wife \u2014 her nickname is Peaches \u2014 would be diagnosed with cancer. The two women that have been most important in my soul have been impacted by the ugliest word in the dictionary. But I truly believe you have to find the beauty in life through the pain. Now my mom and Peaches have recovered, and Very That is thriving.\u00a0<\/p>\n What was your coming-out journey like?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s interesting where we find ourselves with the city and the Spurs. All eyes are on San Antonio right now. I don\u2019t live far from Southwest Military Drive. Our city isn\u2019t just beautiful when we\u2019re winning, it\u2019s quiet moments. It was the same feeling with my coming-out journey. With my own coming out, I came out late. I was so afraid to be who I am for the longest time. Coming out was the hardest thing I\u2019ve ever had to do, but I rebuilt myself from the shattered pieces of who I once was, and I\u2019m stronger than ever before. It\u2019s why I resonate with San Antonio so much. Our city is so complex, and that\u2019s the beauty of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n I write these love letters to the South Side with my Very That [blog]. The beautiful and the ugly. It\u2019s important for us to accept the whole of ourselves, not just when we\u2019re winning.\u00a0<\/p>\n Did you ever doubt yourself during your business journey, and if so, what helped you bounce back?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t forget my why. People can find themselves in my products. There\u2019s still space to reinvent and invent all the aspects of the business when things are slow.\u00a0<\/p>\n There were definitely a few years where I doubted I could keep going with my business. Then \u2014 I opened a storefront in Pica Pica Plaza \u2014 if you want authentic San Antonio culture, stop by Pica Pica Plaza! I believe Pica Pica Plaza saved my business and a part of my heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n I saw Pica Pica post that they had a spot open at their store last year\u00a0 \u2014 I responded to the post immediately and had the keys by the end of the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n What do you love about the South Side?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The South Side is like this beautiful cactus. We\u2019re going to survive in all seasons \u2014 the heat, the cold, ice, rain. We are made up of so many beautiful people that are resilient. Here on the South Side and West Side, you have that deep-rooted sense of community and culture that people frequently associate San Antonio with.\u00a0<\/p>\n Do you ever feel pressured to speak on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I used to feel a bit of pressure to be a voice for the LGBTQ+ community. But then I remembered this old activist saying that said, \u201cMy existence is resistance.\u201d Just by living authentically, I\u2019m making a difference. I think just being authentic to who we are is important. Me and my wife Peaches are t\u00edas to others in our community. We\u2019re the ones you can rely on. Us just showing up is the radical queer existence. Authenticity is radical.\u00a0<\/p>\n Was there an \u201ca-ha\u201d moment let you to accept who you were?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n When I finally came out to my dad \u2014 old school, traditional, super respectful \u2014 I felt like I had marbles in my mouth and I had to tell him who I really am. I interrupted his workday \u2014 something I\u2019d never do! \u2014 and asked him to take a drive with me. I finally told him, and he said, \u201cI always knew. I was waiting for you to tell me.\u201d When he told me that \u201cI\u2019ve always seen you,\u201d I finally said, \u201cI don\u2019t give a fuck what anyone else thinks, my dad sees me.\u201d I think that\u2019s when I stepped into full adulthood. And that was it. I stopped caring about what anyone else thought.\u00a0<\/p>\n What are some of your favorite LGBTQ+<\/strong>\u2013<\/strong>owned restaurants and bars in town?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Chifladas on the West Side is queer- and woman-owned! RIP to [longtime St. Mary\u2019s Strip restaurant, bar and pandemic casualty] La Botanica. I think we need more queer spaces.\u00a0<\/p>\n Are there any new products you\u2019re working on right now for Very That?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n For years I\u2019ve wanted to produce our own T-shirts. I\u2019m working on a line of new T-shirts and hopefully bringing back some fan favorites. I\u2019ve invested in machines to make our own products. We\u2019re a small-but-mighty team. I\u2019m hoping to have a back-to-school apparel line for students and teachers so they look fly again when school starts.\u00a0<\/p>\n Is there anything you\u2019d want to tell someone reading this who may be struggling to come out to their loved ones?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Find a mentor. A queer t\u00eda <\/strong>or t\u00edo, even someone who\u2019s younger than you. Someone to help you walk the path. Someone to walk with you when life is uncertain. I\u2019ve been that to others. and I\u2019ve had people in my life be that for me when I needed it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Follow us:\u00a0Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0RSS Feed<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Related Stories<\/p>\n
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