Hispanic salesman with his welcoming smile[/caption]While many people maintain a stereotype of Hispanic immigrants, Hillsboro's recent farm fair gives a bird's eye view into the success of one company, whose hat sensations make a stand out, as do the people that attracted diverse crowds, apparently just for being themselves.
Hats for all occasions, featured at the Classic Collection, and at a booth at the Hillsboro Fair, brought the message home to many about the importance of hats. Cowboy hats became a special enticement for those who wandered by, as in minutes the blue hats were sold out to happy Democrats, referred to the booth in order to have the latest thing to show off during political campaigns.
But it was the personality and engaging manner of those selling the hats, mostly Hispanic, that seemed to bring in customers the most. The engaging man in charge thrust out his business card, but demurred with his personal name, giving the respect to the company name as opposed to his own. And the business card reflected the modesty as well, a simple, straight forward business card with modest print and arrangement reflecting the down home character of the fellow handing it out.
The Hillsboro Fair showed the face of immigration in the greater Portland area. Downtown Hillsboro, Oregon sports many signs both in English and Spanish and a community where mixing locals with new immigrants, and second and third generation ones, has made for a stew of sorts that seems to satisfy the belly of the town. There are, of course, the areas of town that like many who have recently gone through recession, that have the broken down houses and the reputation for not being a "good neighborhood," but if the fair is any indication of getting along, then the town has met its goal of maintaining the small town appeal along with the welcome sign for both new and old residents, immigrants, people who have arrived to work in the technological arenas and companies that dot the area, and a host of other people who have made Hillsboro home.
An event like a local fair often brings the perspective of the entire community, as most of the townspeople of any area support the major annual events. Hillsboro's fair maintains that status, of the watering hole that brings a diverse group of people to drink and feel refreshed and happy just being part of a community of people coming together to live in support of one another while having fun as well.
