A Tampa notary says the key to making her legal services more accessible to the Spanish-speaking community has been “meeting people where they are” — literally. 

In June, Sara Román opened her own notary business inside a large yellow trailer dubbed the Notary Kiosk — billed as the first of its kind in the region. Putting her practice on wheels allows Román to travel to underserved communities and offer services in more convenient locations, like her usual parking spot outside Hillsborough County’s George Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa, she says. 

And now that her business is up and moving, Román plans to hold a free open house and mocktail happy hour celebration on Friday, Nov. 7, which happens to be National Notary Day. 

The Notary Kiosk will host the party in the courthouse parking lot, at 946 E. Twiggs Street, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering music throughout the day, appetizers in the afternoon and a chance for other notaries to connect with members of the community and introduce their services. Then, from 5-8 p.m., Román plans to host the mocktail happy hour with alcohol-free beverages, the announcement says. 

“This truck isn’t just about notarizations,” Román says in the announcement. “It’s about meeting people where they are and making services accessible for everyone, especially those who might otherwise be overlooked.”

Román’s Notary Kiosk is meant to be a “one-stop shop for essential paperwork needs,” she says. From her yellow trailer, she offers services including notarizations, fingerprinting, document prep, scanning and faxing, shipping and legal courier services, as well as Spanish-English interpretation. Román also conducts virtual notary sessions with those unable to make it to the Notary Kiosk in person. 

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Román moved to Tampa at 19 while caring for her ailing mother and has always had a heart for helping underserved communities, she says. Before launching her notable notary business, Román spent years working in the community and nonprofit engagement sector at organizations including the University Area CDC, Moffitt Cancer Center, United Way Suncoast, Veterans Administration and AmeriCorps. 

Now, she says, the Notary Kiosk helps her connect those in need with the many resources and contacts she’s developed over the years.