‘Faith our business would grow’: La Esperanza Bakery continues to serve the community

Published 8:00 pm Saturday, April 6, 2019

Editor’s note: This article appears in the Daily Citizen-News 2019 Progress edition. Pick up your copy at our office at 308 S. Thornton Ave.

As a little girl Irma Sage remembers the smell of fresh bread and pastries at La Esperanza Bakery in Dalton being so sweet she wanted to “bottle it up and take it home.”

“My family had a tradition where we eat bread with our coffee after dinner,” Sage said. “Our favorites were cheesecake and conchas, a sweet bread roll covered in a cookie crust.”

Trips to La Esperanza, the Hispanic-owned bakery at 1702 E. Morris St., were frequent for the her family. Sage said her parents, strong in their Guatemalan roots, went to the bakery at least twice a week.

It’s a tradition that Sage, 30, has continued with her daughters Miley and Nadine.

For 19 years La Esperanza has served families in the Dalton community. The bakery, which expanded in 2015 to include a market that sells everything from groceries to piñatas, was founded by Delia and Jorge Lara and their sister-in-law Leticia Altamirano.

The Morris Street location has always been home to the business that boasts on their website that each employee “cares about your family and the quality products we make in our kitchens every day.”

For the purpose of this interview Eliza Alfaro, the bakery’s secretary, translated for Delia Lara, who speaks limited English.

As a little girl growing up in Mexico, Delia Lara said she knew nothing about baking.

“I loved to eat the bread, but not bake it,” she said.

Delia Lara said because she and her husband come from families who were business owners they had some knowledge on running one.

“It’s in our blood and we wanted to try to own a business so we decided on a bakery,” she said.

Delia Lara said La Esperanza means faith.

“When we (the owners) were deciding on a name we had faith our business would grow,” she said.

The bakery, which will celebrate 20 years in June, now has 15 employees, including the the Lara family’s son Jodi and nephew Orlando Altamirano.

Orlando Altamirano is responsible for organizing orders for the bakery. He said bakers start making bread and pastries at 4 a.m and continue until about 2 or 3 p.m.

“We’re open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and bake everything fresh,” he said.

Some of the popular items are bolillos, which is similar to a baguette; conchas; cuernos, horn-shaped danishes filled with cream or custard; and a tres leches cake also known as a three milk cake. The bakery also carries a large variety of fruit filled or cream cheese pastries.

Orlando Altamirano, 23, said he was raised at the bakery, but has only worked there for six years.

“I’ve seen how much it’s grown,” he said. “It gives me motivation to start my own bakery one day.”

Orlando Altamirano said his family is proof that dreams are possible.

“If you set your mind to something you can accomplish it,” he said. “Anything is possible no matter where you come from.”

Delia Lara said she feels “blessed” to see her business grow, but it has not always been easy.

“The first few years were difficult not knowing much about the bakery business,” she said. “We had to reduce a lot of personal expenses and invest in the business, just to to see it grow.”

Delia Lara said in the beginning they only had one mixer and a oven, which made it difficult to make a lot of bread at once. Now there are three double ovens, two regular ovens and five industrial mixers.

She said the business also took a dive around 2007 when the economy crashed.

“That was a difficult time, from 2007 to 2009, but thank God we were able to overcome it.

Jordi Lara, 20, said like his cousin, he was raised at the bakery.

“I look around and see how blessed my family is and I’m always grateful,” he said. “We always have what we need, which I’m thankful for.”

Jordi Lara said the bakery is a “huge blessing to the community.”

“Just to see it grow has been an incredible thing especially with my parents coming from anther country,” he said.

Ken Hook, of Dalton, said he’s been in Dalton for 25 years, but only started coming to the bakery about six months ago.

“I noticed the sign as I was driving by and decided to give it a try,” he said.

Hook said he like to buy bolillos for sandwiches.

“I’ve tried other items too, everything is great, but the rolls are my favorite,” he said.

Aida Perez, of Dalton, also likes bolillos for hamburgers. Perez said she’s been a customer for 12 years and goes to the bakery at least twice a week.

Delia Lara said Dalton community has been very supportive.

“I give thanks to this community,” she said. “Their generosity has made us want to help the community with schools and other events.”

Delia Lara said the bakery sponsors many events in the Dalton Public and Whitfield County schools.

“We also give back throughout the city,” she said. “We love helping out, especially when students and children are involved.”

On Tuesday, April 30, from 3 to 5 p.m. the bakery will host “Dia de Los Niños” (Day of the Kids), a Mexican tradition that celebrates children.

Delia Lara said they will serve pastries, ice cream and have fun activities for children in the community.

Yolanda Ferrer of Dalton said the “taste of the bread” brings people to the bakery and cakes for celebrations.

From baby showers, baptisms, birthdays, gender reveals, Quinceañeras (the celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday in Hispanic culture), Sweet 16 birthdays and weddings, La Esperanza has shared in countless occasions.

Delia Lara said the bakery is proof that if someone has a goal, he or she can achieve it no matter what.

“Maybe somebody didn’t go to college, but if you have your heart and mind set, you will prosper,” she said.