Christina Lopez-Prado of Casita Prado Wins Rev-Up MKE Competition

Christina Lopez-Prado, founder of Casita Prado, won first place at Near West Side Partners’ annual Rev-Up MKE small business competition on Wednesday night. The event was attended by supporters, community members, and other finalists.

Casita Prado is an apparel company that specializes in small-batch children’s streetwear made from reclaimed deadstock fabrics. The company focuses on upcycling and sustainability, with designs created in Milwaukee and manufactured in the Midwest.

As the first-place winner, Casita Prado will receive $5,000 in cash, business coaching and consulting services, and a three- to six-month complimentary lease for a retail space at Concordia 27, located at 809 N. 27th St. Lopez-Prado expressed her gratitude, saying, “This is such a big opportunity for us … we can now build our headquarters and have our inventory, operations and retail all under one roof. But ultimately, this is an opportunity for us to give back to the community.”

In addition to its products, Casita Prado conducts fashion education workshops for youth, focusing on sewing, fashion, and art. The company's website emphasizes its commitment to reducing waste while fostering creativity and sustainability among the next generation.

Lopez-Prado plans to use the support from Rev-Up MKE to expand youth programming, enhance organizational capacity, and promote local artists. She aims to introduce a workshop centered on Día de los Muertos and organize a fashion show in the near future.

The name Casita means “little house” in English, and Prado honors Lopez-Prado’s grandmother, who immigrated from Ecuador. Winning the competition as a Latino-owned brand during Hispanic Heritage Month holds special significance for her.

Before founding her business, Lopez-Prado worked in corporate fashion but was laid off after returning from maternity leave. She has witnessed firsthand the waste generated by corporate fashion systems and views Casita Prado as a vehicle for crafting intentional, sustainable fashion.

In this year's competition, finalists showcased their businesses in an expo-style format before the winners were announced. Arts as an Outlet Wisconsin was the runner-up and will receive $1,500 in cash along with a six-month Fruition MKE co-working membership. Brilliantaires Inc. won the “Audience Choice” award, receiving $500 in cash and a three- to six-month co-working membership, while Jivana Wellness was honored with the Jones Family Foundation Emerging Venture Award and $1,000.

Lindsey St. Arnold Bell, executive director of Near West Side Partners, remarked, “Nine years in, Rev-Up MKE keeps showing what’s possible when a community puts real resources behind real entrepreneurs.”