First there was Hispanic cheese, then, a dark-skinned, dark-haired Jesus miraculously appeared in a Texas church, making local residents dub him Hispanic Jesus. So, it was only a matter of time before someone came up with –what else?– Hispanic Shopping Centers!

Yes, dear readers: a real-estate developer in Dallas has been cooking up a business in what he calls a “burgeoning niche.”

“The company’s Sierra Vista shopping center in Oak Cliff is its model. It was revamped in 2006 with bright colors, an Alamo-style facade and a new retail mix including a Carnival market, a Bank of America branch and a Melrose women’s clothing shop that appeals more to Hispanic consumers.”

… an Alamo-style facade? How come nobody ever thought of that before? And to think that all this time I have been shopping in non-Hispanic malls… Sigh.

Oh, and can somebody tell me what on earth is a Carnival market?

(Photo: Dallas Morning News)