After seven years, Worthington has a bakery again

WORTHINGTON -- After being without a bakery for seven years, people may once again enjoy fresh baked goods in Worthington.

Panaderia Mi Tierra Bakery opened Tuesday at the former 10th Street Station location on Worthington's 10th Street. Owners Juan and Kerry Cuate learned of Worthington from friends who told them the town had no bakery. The couple previously operated a bakery in Long Prairie, a town of about 3,000 people.

"We came to Worthington in March to look and see what was down here," Kerry said. "This town has a much busier downtown area than where we were."

For Juan, owning and operating a bakery has been his life long dream.

"Everyone in my family is a baker," he said. "Since I was a little boy I have worked in a bakery."

Juan's father still operates a bakery in the state of Morelos, Mexico.

The bakery offers many types of Mexican pastries such as empanadas, cookies, sweet biscuits, conchas, bolillo, telera and pastel de tres leches (three milk cake). They also sell donuts, long johns, bismarks and cakes. For special occasion cakes, the bakery needs one or two days notice to bake and decorate the cake.

According to Juan, the most popular items so far have been the conchas, empanadas and bolillo (a white bread).

Everyone who works at the bakery is bilingual. Kerry said they are more than happy to explain the different varieties of pastries to customers, and they are happy to answer questions people may have.

"People seem to be excited and happy there's a bakery in town," Kerry said. "We want people from all cultures to come here."

The Cuates have been married for 10 years, and Kerry said her husband has had a dream to own a bakery for many years. Kerry also works full-time at Southwest Crisis Center.

"I used to say, 'I'm not doing that,'" she said. "At some point I just really felt this is Juan's dream and I need to support him.

"Now that I am into it I really like it a lot," she said. "We both have our strengths. I don't bake. I do the paperwork side."

The Cuates' 9-year-old daughter, Karina, also remembers her dad talking about opening a bakery.

"I remember when we lived in Long Prairie and it didn't have a bakery Dad always said, 'Someday I'm going to open a bakery,'" said Karina. "And finally we did."

In April 2006, the Cuates purchased the former Tenth Street Station building and began remodeling it. They hope to rent out the extra space to people who would like to have a small shop in downtown.

Kerry and the children moved here in September so their two children, Karina and 5-year-old Alex, could start school. Juan moved down in October.

"It was a long process doing a business plan, working with the bank, city and health inspectors," said Kerry.

So far, the Cuates are pleased with the number of customers that have stopped in the bakery in the short time it has been open. They hope business will pick up even more as word travels.

"If there is something we're not offering that people want they can ask us," Kerry said.

Over time the business may expand its offerings depending on what customers are asking for.

The bakery is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.