Every day on the streets of Georgetown, Cuban shoppers can be seen carting along garbage bags full of clothing and other items. They wade in and out of stores, mainly along Regent and Robb streets, and travel in groups, both large and small. Very few of them speak English, and so transacting business usually proves difficult—though not impossible—for both shopper and salesperson. But the local proprietors are adapting.
Many have long moved passed mere gesticulation and dependency on the calculator display as a means of communicating with their Cuban shoppers. They are now hiring Spanish speakers, and more often than not, those being hired are Cubans themselves.
The signs are there—strategically placed in the store windows, or scotch taped to the walls and doors of the establishments. They are also clear: Spanish salesmen and women are in high demand.
“Wanted. Sales girls or boys
