Our Story: Three Generations, One Dream
Alpaca Headquarters is a family owned Peruvian store in San Juan Bautista, California, run by mother and daughter Julia and Heather. We carry alpaca clothing, jewelry, textiles, ceramics, and gifts from Peru, and you can shop with us in person at 312 A Third Street or online right here on this site.
Our story began many years ago in Lima, Peru, with my grandfather Marcial, a talented artisan who made wooden furniture covered in embossed leather. Using tools he made himself, sometimes even from nails, he pressed intricate patterns into leather for dining room furniture, rocking chairs, trunks, and armchairs.
My grandfather had ten children, and my mother, Julia, worked beside him in the family shop, where they sold his furniture and a wide variety of Peruvian handicrafts. While she welcomed customers, he went to the port of Callao to meet travelers arriving by ship, escorted them to the store to discover the crafts, and brought them safely back to their ship.
Another chapter of our story began in that very shop. My father, a merchant mariner, met my mother there. He fell in love with her as soon as he saw her, and he sent her flowers every week from the United States. They were married in Peru, and my mother later began a new chapter with him in the United States.
My grandfather always dreamed of opening a Peruvian handicrafts store in the United States. Years later, my mother and I made that dream a reality. Alpaca Headquarters is a family business created to carry on his legacy and share the cultural richness of Peru.
When you shop with us, you help keep my grandfather Marcial’s dream alive. From our family to yours, thank you for being part of our story.
With love,
Heather and Julia
Our story began many years ago in Lima, Peru, with my grandfather Marcial, a talented artisan who made wooden furniture covered in embossed leather. Using tools he made himself, sometimes even from nails, he pressed intricate patterns into leather for dining room furniture, rocking chairs, trunks, and armchairs.
My grandfather had ten children, and my mother, Julia, worked beside him in the family shop, where they sold his furniture and a wide variety of Peruvian handicrafts. While she welcomed customers, he went to the port of Callao to meet travelers arriving by ship, escorted them to the store to discover the crafts, and brought them safely back to their ship.
Another chapter of our story began in that very shop. My father, a merchant mariner, met my mother there. He fell in love with her as soon as he saw her, and he sent her flowers every week from the United States. They were married in Peru, and my mother later began a new chapter with him in the United States.
My grandfather always dreamed of opening a Peruvian handicrafts store in the United States. Years later, my mother and I made that dream a reality. Alpaca Headquarters is a family business created to carry on his legacy and share the cultural richness of Peru.
When you shop with us, you help keep my grandfather Marcial’s dream alive. From our family to yours, thank you for being part of our story.
With love,
Heather and Julia