Tucked just off Main Street is a new addition to the diverse gastronomy of Columbia, one that locals and visitors alike may recognize from its presence at Soda City Market. Cuban Corner officially opened its doors Oct. 3, 2025, establishing a permanent home at 1212 Hampton St.
This opening marks an incredible feat for the owner, Yaema Galguera, and her family, who emigrated from Cuba three years ago seeking political asylum. The Galguera family—including Yaema, her husband, her two daughters and her mother—immediately noticed a lack of Cuban cuisine in the Midlands and sought to meet that demand.
“We noticed it here, we can’t find Cuban food," Galguera said. "And a lot of people love Cuban food, not only because they are from Cuba—a lot of people came from Miami, from Florida, and moving here they can’t find typical Cuban food. And that is my passion all the time. I love to cook and my mom loves to cook too, and I said, ‘Okay, we can do something like Cuban food.’”
The Galguera family immediately began working towards their goal, putting in long hours to establish Cuban Corner in Columbia. Soda City Market proved to be the best starting place for the business, allowing them to overcome many early obstacles.
“The problem was like, we don’t have food trucks, we don’t have a restaurant, how we can sell our food?" Galguera said. "Because, you know, there are permits, you need money and you need to do more than you want."
Despite early challenges, opening at Soda City proved to be a great choice for the family. Their brand became popular at the market, amassing new customers every Saturday. Being one of the few authentic Cuban food vendors in the Southeast, they drew in visitors from neighboring states, with some driving hours to get their weekend fix.
While success at Soda City helped establish a local presence, the family still faced several challenges. Because Soda City is an outdoor market, there were limits on what dishes could be prepared and served based on space, time and portability. There was also the factor of opening hours, with the market only being run on Saturday mornings. Outside of Soda City, Cuban Corner was only available through their catering services.
It quickly became clear that Cuban Corner needed a storefront, so Galguera's entire family pitched in. From her daughters balancing school and work to her husband working overnight shifts, each of them played a role in establishing their brick-and-mortar restaurant.
“My husband worked at Amazon overnight, and we were housekeeping, and we worked at Publix too all day," Galguera said. “So it’s like one American dream. When you want the thing, if your mind thinks it, it’s because you can do it. So if you believe it’s possible, it’s possible.”
And possible it was, because Cuban Corner has quickly become a mealtime staple in Columbia. Whether it's customers stopping in for their morning cafecito (sweet Cuban espresso) or coworkers bonding over medianoche sandwiches, the store remains bustling with people craving authentic Cuban food.
“This restaurant is not only my restaurant. It’s my restaurant, my family's restaurant, my customer's restaurant," Galguera added. "So, I’m very grateful every single day.”
Customer support and the Galguera family’s determination helped build Cuban Corner from the ground up. After arriving from Cuba with little and starting over in Columbia, the family worked to create both a business and a home. Today, they describe their life in Columbia as one filled with warmth, love and acceptance. As they settle into this new chapter, Galguera encourages others to keep working toward their goals, even when they seem out of reach.
"It doesn't matter if you are an immigrant, whatever you are— at one point if you have to start from zero, don't feel like your life is ending or you're never going to have a good life again," she said. "Keep going. If God put it in your mind, that is because you can do it."
