Porto’s Cuban Bakery Opening in West Covina

The sweet smell of guava strudel and potato balls are coming to the neighborhood. West Covina announced its excitement to be partnering with the bakery in a written statement found on the city’s website.

“Porto’s has acquired the property located at 1360 W. Garvey Avenue South.” The previous location of what will become Porto’s was the Crazy Horse, a former bikini bar and grill.

The city has been trying to bring the bakery into town since 2010. Porto’s is scheduled to open in 2017. West Covina is estimating 175 new jobs once the bakery is up and running.

The Cuban bakery is well known for their wide range of pastries, speciality cakes, fresh bread, and sandwiches. Braden Hershey, 21, fire technology major, said he is overjoyed to hear that Porto’s is coming. “Their pastries are amazing, I can’t wait to have them locally now” he said. Since the 1980s Porto’s has expanded to locations in Glendale, Burbank, and Downey.

Raul Porto Jr., son of founder Raul Porto Sr., said why the family chose West Covina as their next location. “We had been searching in West Covina for a very long time because it is the perfect community for us to thrive,” he said. The Community Development Commission presented Porto’s with many locations until this location was selected. Porto Jr. thanked the city of West Covina, and County of Los Angeles for working so quickly with them to make this move a reality.

Michelle Sanchez, 22, English major, has been long anticipating this expansion. “I didn’t want to believe it at first because I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but now that I know its coming two years needs to fly by,” she said.