Rafael was the Puerto Rican character who partnered with Luis in the L & R Fix-It Shop.
The L & R Fix-It Shop opened in Sesame Street’s third season and was named for its two operators, Luis and Rafael. Rafael was a Puerto Rican repairman and Luis’s original business partner. Together, they fixed broken household objects brought in by the residents of Sesame Street, establishing the shop as one of the program’s recurring neighborhood locations.
Rafael left at the end of that season, after which Luis continued operating the business alone. Luis later hired Maria in 1976, and she eventually became his full-time partner. The pair married in 1988, and the shop’s history continued through later changes in the building and its services.
The distractors reflect nearby Sesame Street characters rather than alternate owners. Carlo worked at Hooper’s Store, while Mando was a much later character and Miguel was not the L & R Fix-It Shop partner. The “L & R” initials therefore provide a useful clue: Luis and Rafael.