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As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, the old saying that the United States is the land of opportunity might sound cliche to some.

However, proof of such is found right here in Winchester.

The Happy Corner, located just off S. Main Street, provides a variety of healthy treats for customers.

It also gives inspiration to those aspiring small business opportunities.

“I was looking for a small town, and since Winchester is close to Lexington where I live, I was like, ‘Winchester is the right town for us’,” said owner Yavi Barrera.

Described on its Facebook page as a “Protein Bar”, The Happy Corner offers a variety of healthy options, including protein shakes, energy drinks, crepes, coffee, and more.

However, the road to success wasn’t as ordinary as some might believe.

Originally from Mexico, Barrera came to the United States approximately 15 years ago, hoping for better working opportunities.

Although she had family in the area, Barrera still faced conflict.

“When I came in, I didn’t speak any English, so I started earning, like, $6 per hour and [did] some part-time work [while] living in a closet basically,” she said. “It was so frustrating because I didn’t understand too much, and so I started to study English [while] learning and working with more people here.”

Having overcome barriers through the years, Barrera knew she wanted to start a small business.

With an interest in health, she opened The Happy Corner.

Barrera initially feared a negative reception as the business opened in 2020 while the country was in the first year of the pandemic.

Fortunately, it was not to be.

“It [has been] a great reception since then, especially because people were looking for something new, something that nourishes,” Barrera said.

To some, the highlight of the business might be the fact that over 80 options for protein shakes are available, not including specific seasonal options that come up monthly.

Yet others can go for boba teas or tea bombs.

Each option is rich in clean energy, featuring vitamins C, B, B12, E, powerful antioxidants, and natural caffeine.

The company also makes iced and hot coffees and protein foods such as crepes, waffles, cheesecake, donuts, and smoothie protein bowls.

While the business continues to operate successfully, plans for the future continue to be discussed.

“We’ve been doing some festivals and night markets…We are trying to expand the business and give more flavors,” Barrera said. “We have new flavors every week.”

Along with a team of three fellow employees, Barrera looks forward to the future.

“The customers are so friendly [and] so supportive,” she said. “Thank you for all the support and the friendly people.”

The Happy Corner is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. It can be found on Facebook by searching “Yadi Win Hapycorner Barr” or can be found on Instagram at happycornerky.