By Lana Hy

Staff Writer

 Later this spring, Porto’s Café, a family-owned Cuban bakery, will open its fifth store in West Covina.   

 “It’s going to be a very important part of West Covina,” said Mayor Mike Spence to the Daily Bulletin. “We’re grateful that [Porto’s] is coming here.”

 Porto’s serves a variety of pastries, specialty cakes, freshly made bread, savory sandwiches, and a selection of smoothies, juices, and coffee. Their most well-known treats include the Guava and Cheese Rolls as well as the Potato Balls.

 In the 1960s, the café was started by Rosa and Raul Porto Sr., who emigrated from Cuba to California. Mrs. Porto’s baking skills and her dream of a better life after experiencing communism in Cuba led to the creation of Porto’s.

 Before opening the first store in Echo Park, California in 1976, she sold baked treats from her house where it was not uncommon to see a long line of customers waiting to pick up their cakes.

 West Covina has been working to bring the bakery into its city when the Community and Economic Development Division (CED) first reached out to Porto’s in 2010.

 During these past several years, CED discussed potential locations within West Covina. While none of those stores were materialized, CED and West Covina continued to make a location in West Covina a reality.

 Due to both the collaboration of both Porto’s and the city, the bakery is now under construction near Plaza West Covina. Until the new location opens, West Covina locals can attend the city’s farmer market every Saturday and visit the Porto’s booth where they sell a small assortment of their treats.

 According to westcovina.org, Porto’s is anticipated to generate between $70,000 to $80,000 in annual sales. Prospectant employees were able to meet with the management team and undergo a hiring process on March 26.

 “In total, the West Covina location will employ about 300 people,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Wells to San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

 Porto’s will be a 21,943 square-foot two story building. Currently, the cities of Buena Park, Burbank, Downey, and Glendale each have a Porto’s  location.