Vendor Profile: Penny Sandoval
By Linette Hidalgo
Photo by Jesse BorrellStanding at just under five feet tall with a petite frame, Denver VOICE vendor Penny Sandoval is noticeably adorable. One would be hard pressed to find a person as sweet and naturally pleasant as Penny.
Though she was born in Colorado, Penny was raised by her grandmother in Nashville. When Penny was 12, her grandmother passed away. After that, Penny stayed with a series of relatives.
At 17, Penny decided she would rather work than finish high school. She found work serving in a local Nashville restaurant next to the Grand Ole Opry. She fell in love with the electrifying musical atmosphere filled with aspiring entertainers and up-and-coming performers. Penny thrived on meeting new people, and here she encountered people from every corner of the world. Even then, Penny’s sweet demeanor earned her friends and the favor of people who would take her under their wings and treat her as family. During this time, Penny had the good fortune of meeting Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Clinton, and Elvis Presley, who was “just a young punk back then.” She even went to the movies with a well-known singer of the day—Paul Anka.
Penny earned some local fame of her own during her Grand Ole Opry days thanks to her resemblance to Loretta Lynn. Customers often mistook her for the singer, and Penny would sometimes claim Loretta as a sister just to enthrall patrons. Mingling with the stars, however, didn’t leave Penny starstruck.
“I saw them as customers, not celebrities, just human beings,” said Penny.
Young Penny with Johnny Cash.At 22, Penny and her best friend Deedee decided to leave Nashville and explore the country. The pair moved from state to state, working in bars to make ends meet until the next state called. In all, Penny traveled to 38 states and four countries. After several years of journeying through the U.S., Penny and Deedee returned to Nashville, where Penny continued bartending. She re-located to Denver in the 80s, once again with her best friend, and stayed because Deedee loved the Mile High City. Over the next several years Penny continued bartending, married, had children, and eventually divorced.
Penny’s unfailing work ethic kept her employed in restaurant bars until 2010, when she fell and broke her hip. The injury put an end to her decades-long career as bartender and advice dealer. The lack of income eventually left Penny homeless. She remained homeless for a year and half before she was able to secure housing with assistance from the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.
“You never know what is going to happen,” said Penny. “I wanted to work until I reached 100. I worked my entire life and never thought I’d be homeless. People take things for granted, but you never know what is ahead.”
Fortunately, Penny is able to receive Social Security, and in 2013 she began vending the Denver VOICE to earn needed additional income. Initially, Penny was hesitant to become a vendor because she didn’t see herself selling a paper. However, once she began, she realized vending the paper allowed her to build customer relationships similar to those she had in her bartending days, and created opportunities to meet a variety of interesting people.
Penny likes to stay busy and explains that vending the VOICE keeps her active and engaged with the community.
“I like being around people. It took awhile to build a customer base, but now all my customers know me by name and they are all so nice. They care.”
The income Penny earns from selling the VOICE also allows her to pay for her life insurance policy and other necessities. Penny describes herself as happy and grateful. Her advice: never worry, because you can only do your best. ■