TAMPA, Fla. — Every item mailed to a customer from Tisaksuc comes with a handwritten note.

What You Need To Know

  • Tisaksuc which sells handmade artisan products from Haiti

  • With the ongoing violence in Haiti, Tisaksuc said they can't stock their items as they usually would

  • The store employs 20 artisans in Haiti, but they’ve temporarily closed their workshop

It's a little extra touch that Vladimir Bourgoin, the Director of Operations at the shop which sells handmade artisan products from Haiti, says lets their customers know they appreciate their business. 

"People really love when you take the time to write them," he said.

With stores in Haiti and Tampa, Vladimir said they're bringing their culture to Tampa and the world. 

From clothes with hand-painted designs to earrings crafted by their artisan's hands, every item has a touch of Haiti.

However, with the ongoing violence in the country, Vladimir said they can't stock their items as they usually would.

"The company we use to ship... they can't provide that service right now because there's no flights," he said.  

Not only can they not fly in their products, but they also temporarily closed their workshop in Haiti, which employs 20 people. 

Vladimir's wife and the founder of Tisaksuc, Daphné, is in Haiti. 

The pair said there are challenges being apart, but they want to do everything for their store and the people who work for them. 

"It's been extremely challenging because if you can't work, you can't produce," Daphné said. "There's no revenue coming in. It's tough times." 

"All of these people are depending on us to feed their families and it's a huge responsibility," Vladimir said. 

It's not clear when the situation in Haiti may stabilize, but the pair is cautiously optimistic things will normalize.

For now, Vladimir focuses on what he can control.

Sharing the Haitian products close to his heart with Tampa Bay.