Nestled among dozens of mom-and-pop businesses along Gage Avenue in the city of Bell, La Estrellita Market appears to be just another faded storefront in the endless urban sprawl of southeast Los Angeles County.

Inside, La Estrellita is a typical neighborhood general store. Behind the counter, scratch-off lottery tickets hang in a colorful array. The cramped, but tidy aisles are stocked with everything from cereal and hamburger buns to tissue boxes and infant formula. Along the right wall is a commercial fridge with milk and soft drinks and a cooler filled with fresh produce. Multicolored piñatas hang for sale from the ceiling.

Strikingly, La Estrellita serves as a shining example of one business owner who fought back against a city government that was denying businesses the convenience of setting up shop in Bell.

Garcia was initially given the run-around, a common experience for prospective business owners who sought licenses in Bell during the regime of former city administrator Robert Rizzo,

“They said I would have to wait a few weeks or more, but I told them I had no choice but to get the license immediately,” Garcia recalls.

She said she insisted on getting the documents approved, citing the need to move perishable goods to the new shop as soon as possible. Within days, the approval went through.

This outcome is uncommon in Bell, where many business owners wait weeks, if not months for approval to start a business, change locations or even to obtain a permit to repaint their storefronts.

Garcia knows her experience is remarkably positive compared to other businesses. She wishes that she could vote in the Tuesday's election, but she and her family live in nearby Huntington Park.

“It’s hard because you can’t vote and it affects your business,” Garcia said. “I don’t know much about politics, but I do know that the outcome will affect me and my family.”

Garcia says the former location of La Estrellita Market was much poorer than its current location on Gage Avenue. Theft was rampant at the old location and the neighborhood was not family-friendly.

 “Here, most people have jobs and they don’t steal things,” she said. “At the old location, the income level was lower and people could not just buy necessities like the people in Bell can. People in Bell are hard workers.”

Garcia, who has a brother and cousin who live in Bell, said she feels more safe running her business in Bell.

“It’s safer and more calm here because there are more families,” she said. “When you call the police, they are here right away, usually within two minutes. The Bell Police are really great.”

When asked if she enjoys running a business in Bell, Garcia replied matter-of-factly, “Yes. We are really happy right here.”

Reach reporter Vicki Chen here.