Kolcha Tuesday: Changes in Iconic Businesses in the City

In tonight’s Kolcha Tuesday segment, we look at two iconic businesses that have been serving Belize for almost a century. Unfortunately, in one case, the business has closed down, while the other is experiencing the end of a legacy, three generations of family ownership. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

News spread like wildfire that two iconic businesses in Belize City that have survived the test of time for almost a century were shuttering. The shutting down of Augusto Quan near market square in downtown Belize City has shocked many, as the legacy hardware retail store has served the country for generations, since 1940. Today, the metal shutter was down and a 4Realty Belize sign has been placed on the building. The owner was out of the country and unavailable for comment, but social media has been buzzing with patrons sharing memories. While that era comes to an end, customers can breathe a sigh of relief because Smiling Meats products are going nowhere. The company’s processed and packaged meat products will remain in supermarkets and groceries stores across the country under the same brand, but three years shy of a century, the company is changing ownership.

Matthew Smiling

Matthew Smiling, Former Owner, Smiling Meats

“All the workers are retained, the quality and the product will be the same. The only difference is that I won’t be around. From 1928, at the Belize City Old Market by the foot of the Swing Bridge, stall thirteen. That’s where it all started with my grandfather Edwin Smiling Senior, then my father and now me.”

Duane Moody

“So the legacy ends with you?”

Matthew Smiling

“I guess if you want to put it that way. But the business will go on – that’s the most important thing. Because the first impression that everybody getting is that it shut down, but no, it is just a change of ownership. My father moved to this location in 1986, July 1986 and been here ever since.”

Duane Moody

“When did you take over?”

Matthew Smiling

“1990 – that’s when I took over, 1990.”

Former owner Matthew Smiling says that there were several factors that led to the decision, which was made even before his father, Winston Smilin, passed away a few months ago.

Matthew Smiling

“COVID did a lot to the world; that was one of the main setbacks that I experienced. Prior to COVID, I was doing okay, but COVID setback and yo know I just say, time to turn over a new leaf.”

Duane Moody

“Was it a hard decision to make?”

Matthew Smiling

“Very, very hard. It was very hard and a lot of people already have this impression that because of the death of my father, I sell out. But that’s far from the truth. He knew. From before he died, he knew and he accepted my position and if that’s what I wanna do, go ahead. You look around, there is a lot of local businesses closing down; not only myself moving on.  And what I have noticed over the years, I have brought it up at meetings at agriculture that we are operating and the scale isn’t tipped or isn’t balanced for us. Other people getting in our business and they are getting duty concessions and stuff like that when we can’t get any. All the years that I have been oeprating here, I’ve never gotten a duty concession.”

While many have come to enjoy Smiling Meats, the new owners say that it will remain the same. Alyssa Majil and Santiago Campus, the owners of Campus Meats on Sixth Street in Belize City are the new owners. Majil says that customers will now enjoy the competitive prices that will be introduced.

Alyssa Majil

Alyssa Majil, New Owner, Smiling Meats

“I don’t want the people to think that anything is changing from Smiling Meats. We still have the same amazing staff that’s they’ve had for many years. We are keeping everything ingredient-wise when it comes to their processed meat, the ham. People that look forward every Christmas for their ham – it is nto changing. Salami, the links, the long and thick – all those things – all the same. Nothing is changing. The only thing that is changing is the face. We are the new faces behind Smiling Meats. We are here to stay. We are going to make it better – more competitive, better prices.”

Duane Moody for News Five.