Little Village street vendor helping aspiring female entrepreneurs

CHICAGO (CBS)-- A popular street vendor in Little Village is on a mission to launch the next crop of women entrepreneurs.

Arely Andrew is taking girls from the neighborhood under her wing.

There's a good reason why the foot traffic along 31st Street near Kildare in Little Village never seems to dwindle, especially during the summer months.

It's where Las Toxicas has been serving up some of the sweetest and spiciest Mexican treats for years.

All day long, if it's not gaggles of foodies, it's pickup trucks pulling up to stock up on the goods like raspas, shaved ice doused in fruit syrup or esquites, a popular Mexican snack of corn in a cup.

Andrew took over the business from her mom after running the food cart for over two decades. 

The food cart itself became a foodie destination two years ago after a video of its elote platter went viral.

Keeping up with demand has not been easy.

"You gotta wake up in the morning, you got to cook the elote you have to make the water, you have to get the ice you have to go get the fruit, Andrew said. 

Her team is made up of all young women from the community. She's taken them in to show them the ropes of what it takes to be a successful business owner.

The initiative, for her, makes the days more fulfilled.

"If you feel that you cannot make it. Yes you can," She said. "You can't you just have to work. Hard work."

For Yadira Aquino, the gig here has helped the 19-year-old break out of her shell. She's now inspired to launch her own business

"It's like woman power. She is a woman, and if she could do it, I could do it," Aquino said. 

Las Toxicas is open every day thru out the summer along 31st Street starting at 11 a.m.