CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – When walking into Café Oaxaca in Clovis, customers are immediately greeted by the smell of fresh baked breads and sugar that some would describe as warm and comforting.
Café Oaxaca first opened its doors in 2010, after Eugenia Juarez moved from Mexico to the United States.
“It’s something that I never imagined, I never thought that my pastries would cross the border with us, it’s something God guided us towards,” Juarez said.
Juarez grew up learning how to bake from her father who started baking in Oaxaca in the late 1960s. Now those recipes have been passed down to her children who are now third generation bakers.
“So that’s how Café Oaxaca came about because of my mom and my grandpa in general, we used his recipes which are traditional Oaxacan style breads. The rest of them, we learned them little by little when we were here,” Garcia said.
Each day the family wakes up and comes to work at the location on Clovis and Barstow, but soon they will be moving into a bigger space, a process three years in the making.
The family says the transition into Café Oaxaca’s new home has been a journey. Last year a suspected DUI driver drove into the building causing major setbacks along with other delays.
“Plans getting approved by the city, which by itself took over a year,” Garcia said. “It’s been a really long process, but it’s something that we knew was going to take long. But in the end, it’s going to be worth it.”
The new location on Villa Ave. south of Shaw Ave. will have all the most popular items including Cuernitos and Conchas. Conchas are like brioche bread with a cookie crumble on top that the family says is great for dipping into hot chocolate. They will also have new menu items such as Mexican teas, and café de olla.
Juarez says for her and her family, Café Oaxaca is more than just a bakery.
“Honestly, I don’t see this as a job, I see this as a passion,” Juarez said. “As my family knows that I’ve always told them that as long as you do something with love and passion it’s never going to be a job.”
The grand opening has not been announced, but the family say it should be in the next few weeks.
“We will for sure let you guys know on Instagram, Facebook, and we will put flyers on our door,” Juarez said. “If we aren’t at our original location that means we are getting ready to be in here so keep your eyes open for new information.”
