Chrissie Dickerson Ramirez lights a candle on an ofrenda honoring her late husband, Macario Ramirez, at their Casa Ramirez gallery and shop in the Heights.

Macario Ramirez and his wife Chrissie Ramirez are seen in a photo at Casa Ramirez in 2023.

A display of ofrendas — offerings to honor deceased loved ones — at Casa Ramirez, a Mexican folk art store in the Heights.

The 19 students and two teachers who died in the Uvalde school shooting are honored on a community altar at Casa Ramirez.

Some people are blind to the beauty of a culture that's not theirs.

But how can you enter Casa Ramirez Folk Gallery in the Heights and not feel the warmth of Mexican heritage with the patchwork display of art, photos, books and symbols of life? Or not be drawn to the kaleidoscope of colors and mementos of history?

The store, which has been in business for 40 years and has become a cultural hub in Houston, is closing its doors. Retail operations will cease after January 6 in time for Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day), which honors the visit of the Three Wise Men to Jesus. It will officially shutter in March when the lease expires, said owner Chrissie Ramirez.

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