West New York mother and store-owner Cary Ortega has been so successful for the last three decades with her Bergenline Avenue children’s clothing store that she recently was able to expand to trendy Hoboken.
When her family arrived from Cuba, they only had $25 to share, but they managed to work their way into a blessed baby clothing business.
What’s the secret to the success of “El Bambi”? It’s a family affair.
Here to serve
First opened in 1976 by Enelio and Cary Ortega, El Bambi has been lovingly run by family members including Cary’s sisters, and now her oldest son Enelio Jr., who has been watching over the recently opened store front on 1204 Washington St. in Hoboken.
“We want to offer the same family service to the community here [as we did in West New York],” said Enelio Ortega Jr. “So far the customers love it. They can’t imagine why it took this long.”
Although in the beginning it seemed like the heirs to El Bambi were going to seek life outside the family business, they wouldn’t turn away from what has become their legacy.
“We felt it was the right time because Hudson County is changing so much, especially with the waterfront growing, and we want to be more spread out through the county,” said Enelio Jr. “We want to definitely continue our standard of service, service, service.”
“Hoboken is just really the best town for us,” said Cary Ortega. “It’s a town we have known for years since we first arrived from Cuba, and we can cater to what they are looking for.”
The Hoboken store opened its doors just three weeks ago.
El Bambi caters to all of a baby’s needs, from clothing and furniture to strollers. The store carries some of the finest merchandise from all over the world.
New life in a new country
Cary Ortega (then Labrador) first arrived from Cuba with her family in 1965 via Miami and settled in West New York.
“My older sister, who arrived first, is the one who brought us over, and we had been separated for seven years,” said Ortega, who was 15. “I was lucky because at my young age I was selected to be on the plane instead of the boats [out of Cuba]. We came on Los Vuelos de la Libertad [the Freedom Flights].”
Ortega and her family first arrived at the Refuge in Miami on Dec. 31, 1965, and each family was given $25.
“With those $25, my father bought me spray, brushes, bobby pins and a hairdryer because I was a hairdresser in Cuba,” said Ortega. “From the moment I arrived, I was fascinated by this country, and I knew this is where I wanted to make my life.”
After spending their first New Year in Miami, they made it out to West New York, where Ortega’s older sister had prepared for their arrival including finding work for the sisters. Cary was the youngest of four sisters.
“When I woke up in the morning [in New Jersey] I saw snow, which was something I had always dreamed of seeing,” said Ortega.
Ortega had decided to temporarily forgo school and also start working to support her family.
Unfortunately, due to the language barrier it was difficult to get started, so Ortega started working on clients from home.
Then three months later, she was able to find work with a salon in West New York, and six months later she had also mastered English and began working as much as she could to bring in the extra money for her family. She also met her husband Enelio.
The beginnings of success
Six months into their relationship, they were married and began the steps that led to their business empire. “I was already knew the business, so I asked my boss for a partnership, which lasted about five years,” said Ortega.
Ortega and her husband had their first son in 1969, and began discussions about pursuing a business of their own.
“One day we ran into some friends of ours that has children’s clothing store in West New York, and I told my husband that is the business that I want,” said Ortega.
That same night, on their way home, they drove by a storefront for rent on Bergenline Avenue.
“It was 5401 Bergenline Ave. [where Popeye’s now stands] and it was for rent, and we both turned to each other and said that is the perfect location to set up a children’s store,” said Ortega.
Along with some help from their friends to get the business started, El Bambi first opened its doors in 1976.
“We sold everything for the newborn, and whatever was not sold in the store I would take to the salon and sell there,” said Ortega, who started to turn a profit soon after.
“When we made our first $300 we threw a party because we were so happy, and then took that money to buy more merchandise in New York,” said Ortega. “Soon after we started delivering baby furniture, and the business kept growing.”
Current location
Seeing has how the business only kept expanding, the Ortegas moved the store further up to its current location, 5409 Bergenline Ave., where it has remained for the past 30 years.
“Our specialty is the newborn,” said Ortega. “We have everything you could need for your baby’s arrival, and give them the best quality.”
She added, “We are a working family and we love this country, and we just want to keep progressing. We just want our kids to be the heirs of everything we have worked for.”