CHICAGO — Every day, just before 4 a.m., the streets of Little Village begin to fill with the scent of homemade tamales and the 26th Street business corridor lights up with an influx of cars and the chatter of those getting ready to start their day.
The early-morning hours are typically the most profitable for tamaleros, who for decades have built a livelihood selling the traditional Mexican dish to their loyal customers. They have become an essential part of the culture and fabric of the city despite historical struggles to regulate their business.
That’s why, even after getting robbed at gunpoint five times in the past two months while selling tamales in the early morning, Maria Aguilar, 50, continues to set up shop at Homan Avenue and 26th Street.
