MILWAUKEE — From churros to tamales, Lopez Bakery and Restaurant on Milwaukee’s south side has something for everyone.
Coowner Cindy Lopez and her husband Jorge are the current owners. Her in-laws opened the bakery 50 years ago.
“We started in 1973,” said Lopez. “We’re one of the first Hispanic bakeries to open in Milwaukee.”
Its anniversary shares the same date as the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead, which honors loved ones who have passed on.
“You make an altar,” said Lopez. “You put all the things that they would love and they hopefully come and visit you.”
The altar showcased in Lopez Bakery honors several loved ones from their family. One of the most recent is her mother-in-law Amprao Lopez.
“We lost my mother-in-law the day after Mother’s Day,” said Lopez. “So, that is really hard on us. This whole bakery is her. Everywhere you turn, all of her tamale recipes, her salsas. All the wonderful dishes she makes, they’re all hers.”
Lopez and her husband took over the bakery in 2012. She said it’s been a wonderful experience, but this past year hasn’t been easy.
“2023 was not the best year for us,” said Lopez. “We had financial problems at the beginning of the year. We lost loved ones. Things just didn’t happen like we wanted them to happen.”
In February, the community rallied together to fundraise to keep Lopez Bakery open. For that, Lopez is thankful, but she said it’s time to for a new beginning.
“We kind of come to a decision. We’re going to sell our location and we’ll be open until it is sold,” said Lopez.
She said it’s time to focus on what matters most and that’s family.
“We just decided that we want to start a new chapter in our life and make the best of it with friends and family we’ve neglected with owning a business,” said Lopez.
She’s hopeful someone will take over the business to keep the legacy alive. For now, she’ll spend the remainder of her time at a place that means so much to her, her family and the community.
Her goal is to keep their vendor booth going at the Brookfield Farmer’s Market.