Zocalo, a much-loved McCauley business located at 10826 95th Street, is operating full steam ahead after a long recovery from a devastating fire in January 2024. “We are connected to this place,” says co-owner Miranda Ringma. “We love doing business in Little Italy.”

Recalling the trauma, Ringma says, “We were not ready to give up. We wanted to keep doing this.” She says the shutdown gave her and partner/co-owner Ken Bregenser time to reflect. 

“We thought about doing more and doing less. We thought about what other people can do better. In the end, we decided to bring on other folks to grow the business and serve the community better.”

The result is a renewed operation that includes floral vendor Love and Fantasy Flowers and Aspen Coffee Roasters (its second location in the city). “We can now share the workload. Ken and I can be a little more focused, concentrating on the plants and gifts.”

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” Ringma says. “There is a trend towards smaller local businesses finding ways to operate without having a standalone retail site.”

The gifts and housewares, flower shop, and café part of Zocalo re-opened in November 2024, ten months after the shutdown. The greenhouse re-opened in March 2025.

The renovation was a lot of work. The two buildings were gutted and refinished. Jobs included electrical work in both buildings; a boiler system on the café side; paint, flooring, and carpet in the greenhouse; and new fixtures. A number of insurers were involved, and as Ringma puts it, “Insurance doesn’t move quickly.”

Zocalo first opened in November 2003. At the time, Miranda was a graphic designer and writer, while Ken was a landscape designer. “We wanted to keep doing innovative, creative work,” Miranda says. “We looked long and hard for a location.”  Ken and Miranda live in McCauley and can walk to the store. “It’s home,” Miranda says.

Anita Jenkins is a retired writer and editor who lives in Boyle Street.