ROGERS, Ark. — Spanish version: Para español haga click aqui.
Gaby's Bakery in Rogers is a traditional Latino bakery where customers can find quick, warm food giving lasting, warm smiles.
As we observe Hispanic Heritage Month, our Cookin' with Abuela series takes a look at the impact of food on Latino culture, starting with what many consider the most important meal of the day: Breakfast. When in a rush, a quick stop on the way to your destination can help speed things up.
Gaby's Bakery has served Rogers for nearly a decade and recently saw ownership passed down from father to son.
“When I was a little boy, I wouldn't necessarily work. But I would always be around, just because. Always teasing the workers, just messing around until I started getting older. I got to the point where I had to work, and I had to learn as much as I could. And I ended up actually loving it,” new owner Rafael Castro said.
Nayeli Balderas is a cashier and manager at the bakery. She is one of the many faces greeting customers in the bakery.
“We all put our hard work and our soul into what we sell here,” Balderas said. “I've gotten to know a lot of our regulars by name. When they come in, I greet them by the name and like a good morning and a smile,” she added.
The bakery on 8th Street serves traditional Latino bread, known as “Pan Dulce” (Translates to sweet bread).
“We make everything with love,” Castro said of his products.
“[Customers] have long hours ahead. They have a hard job to do. So they're looking for something that is gonna fill them up, that is good, that's warm,” Balderas said about the many workers that stop by in the mornings.
Serving traditional bread, Balderas explained that customers often reminisce on their past when at the bakery.
“They're like, 'Oh, I remember doing this with my grandma.' Or 'I remember my grandma, my mom, used to cook tamales for Christmas. I remember walking down to the bakery and getting some sweet bread, some pan dulce,'” Balderas said.
Many Latino bakeries will typically serve tamales, bread, and champurrado early in the morning. Some have even larger breakfast menus available, serving full dishes for more of a sit-down restaurant feel.
A family business serving new families coming in— kneading home into every pan to take along the way. The bakery is open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day and is located at 780 W Pine St. in Rogers.
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