Shani Chiang/Houston Public Media
When Casa Ramirez’s founder Macario Ramirez died, his wife Chrissie Dickerson Ramirez had no doubt she would continue running the shop. She loves Mexican culture deeply and is committed to carrying on Macario’s legacy.
“The shop had so much of his spirit,” she said. “It became kind of a companion to me.”
Casa Ramirez, a folk art gallery in Houston’s Heights neighborhood, is well-known for popularizing Day of the Dead celebrations in Houston. Chrissie knew one of the first things she had to do after Macario’s passing was to build him an ofrenda, or altar. She adorned it with his photos, Aztec memorabilia — reflecting his respect for Indigenous cultures — rocks from his beachcombing adventures, artwork from some of their favorite artists, and other artifacts. She pointed to the top of the altar and said fondly, “I’ve used the sun every year. There’s a phrase in Mexico, a term of endearment, mi sol y mi luna.”
The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is a celebration of life and memory. One quote on the altar reads: “When we die, we do not truly die, because we live.”
The same could be said of Casa Ramirez itself. Even as the shop prepares to close, its spirit will live on in the hearts of the Houston Latino community.
Earlier this week, Chrissie announced that Casa Ramirez will close at the end of 2025. As she is now 79 years old, and with the current lease at the 19th Street shop expiring in March 2026, Chrissie said it is a fitting time to retire.
For the past 40 years, Casa Ramirez has been a cherished part of the Houston Latino community. Macario had opened the shop in 1985, inspired by his father who owned a similar store selling Mexican crafts in San Antonio.
Macario’s motto was “culture, traditions, and good causes,” which Chrissie strives to carry forward.
Walking into Casa Ramirez, customers are immediately greeted by a vibrant display of Mexican art and culture, bursting with color: beaded hummingbirds, paper marigolds, hand-woven tapestries, sombrero hats, Spanish books, and more.
The Ramirezes brought many goods back from their trips to Mexico. Chrissie recalled her first visit to Mexico City: “I was absolutely in awe. Its whole history, and it has a rich, deep history, lays over the city to me like a blanket, like a warm, cozy blanket.”
She wanted to bring a piece of the culture back to Houston.
“Anything that I saw [that] I felt people put the beauty of their work and put it out there for sale, touched my heart,” she said.
Simone Ralph, a longtime customer since 2011, hurried back to visit the store when she heard the retirement news. Over the years, she has bought various artifacts from Casa Ramirez, including milagro hearts, rugs, wall hangings, children’s books, pottery, wooden statues, and jewelry.
As a half-Filipino, Ralph appreciates Casa Ramirez for deepening her understanding of Mexican culture.
“The Philippines is obviously Asian, but it has a very heavy Spanish and Mexican influence,” Ralph said. “A lot of it is learning. I’ve got a lot of books on culture and history that I wouldn’t have known otherwise.”
But Casa Ramirez is more than just a store selling unique Mexican crafts and goods — it also hosts many holiday celebrations. The store’s Day of the Dead festivities draw a large crowd.
During the Day of the Dead, Casa Ramirez welcomes the community to contribute to a public altar. Ralph remembers witnessing the altar triple in size over the past decade.
“I think that shows the heart of how important this place is to the community,” Ralph said. “And people would take something that’s so personal, that possibly they’re still actively grieving for, and contribute to it. I think that says a lot about Chrissie to create that space for the community, and I think it says a lot about how loved she is, that everyone is that vulnerable and participates so fully.”
Shani Chiang/Houston Public Media
Alina Sotelo participated in one of Casa Ramirez’s ofrenda-making workshops.
“I grew up going to cemeteries,” Sotelo said. “Our family would spend our day at the cemetery just reminiscing and thinking and talking about our loved ones that have passed. That was in Mexico.”
After moving to Houston, Sotelo embraced ofrenda-making as a meaningful way to honor her late family members. She said the altar she built at Casa Ramirez now serves as an example for her own family.
“Now we do ofrendas,” she said. “It was an amazing opportunity to set it up here, and I will hold that in my heart for a long, long time.”
Macario was not only instrumental in bringing Mexican traditions like Day of the Dead to Houston — he was also a passionate advocate for the Hispanic community.
Macario worked closely with the late activist and photographer Al Vasquez. Both were active members of the Political Association of Spanish-Speaking Organizations, working to expand voting rights.
Edelia Flores Castañeda, Vasquez’s niece, also visited the store upon hearing the retirement announcement.
“They were groundbreakers,” Castañeda said. “They would go door to door encouraging people to vote. … I know how much my uncle appreciated el Señor Macario, and I am very proud of my heritage, so naturally, I had to come here.”
After Macario passed, Chrissie faced the challenge of running Casa Ramirez on her own. With a Scottish heritage herself, she said she had to establish her own identity and strengths within the space.
“It is difficult because many people think I should be Latina if I’m here with the shop,” she said. “But some people have said to me, ‘Well, it’s in your heart, Chrissie, it’s in the corazón.’ And I feel that very, very deeply. So I’m very proud to have been able to have done what I do and honor the culture every day.”
After retiring, Chrissie plans to work on archival projects that document Latino history, as well as Casa Ramirez’s and Macario’s contributions to Houston and Texas. She hopes that these collections will continue to educate people.
Chrissie said she made the retirement announcement early, so the community can still visit and enjoy one last run of the holidays.
Martha Almaguer, Casa Ramirez’s store manager, said she discovered the shop at an ofrenda-making event 10 years ago.
“I just fell in love with them … I never left!” she said.
As customers leave the store, Almaguer offers them a gentle parting: “It’s not goodbye — it’s hasta después, hasta luego.”
