Nestled in the mountains of the west side, shoppers are greeted with the TI:ME shopping district. This shopping center is composed of  local businesses and restaurants that aren’t found anywhere else along with apartment complexes that define luxury and modern living. El Paso is known as a border city with Hispanic enthused charm found in its people, art and food. TI:ME incorporates this charm while providing its own style of entertainment with a hipster-like environment and artsy vibes.

“I love to visit Montecillo because it makes me feel like I’m not in El Paso but at the same time, it has a lot of our culture in it,” senior David Ruiz said.

What makes TI:ME unique is its jaw dropping art and distinct architecture. Visitors are greeted with a beautiful, vibrantly painted mural of a woman’s face on an unexpected canvas — an old shipping container. Most of the shopping center is built out of repurposed shipping containers providing a rustic, yet modern feel while serving as a reminder that the project is environmentally friendly and above all, wonderfully creative.

All of TI:ME’s amenities such as hipster joint Hillside Coffee: a local coffee shop that makes fresh pastries daily, Cantina Malolam: another local eatery vibrantly decorated and known for using fresh herbs grown on-sight and Mother of Pearl Vinyl, a record store that sells used records located in the iconic repurposed shipping container, are close together. Another unique shop one will stumble upon at TI:ME is Chuco Relic, a local company that produces and sells tee shirts, caps, stickers and posters with jokes and references that only El Paso natives would understand.

Junior Jose Villalobos enjoys visiting the quirky shopping center for many reasons.

“I like to stop at Mother of Pearl to look at the record selection because they have so many and you can pick a record and listen to it at the shop,” Villalobos said. “The place is aesthetically pleasing because of its contemporary art style, which is really nice.”

In addition to the amenities on sight, its location to other recreational joints is convenient. Across the street from the shopping center is Alamo Drafthouse, a movie theater chain that gives movie watchers a whole other experience. It is also a few minutes away from the newly opened Top Golf.

The ambience found at TI:ME and its reputation as a hub for all things local sets it apart from all of the other shopping areas in El Paso. Whether it is the art, like the massive mural of a man playing an accordion that sits adjacent to the coffee shop or the quality food and products handmade by local businesses that consumers are drawn to, TI:ME at Montecillo is sure to bring any visitors a unique experience.