By Christina Rodriguez, La Prensa Contributor
For four decades, the aroma of fresh conchas, tamales, and barbacoa has drifted down Broadway Street, guiding generations of families to a place that feels like home. La Paloma Bakery is not just a business, it is a living story of perseverance, pride, and the enduring power of tradition.
From Migrant Dreams to Toledo’s First Mexican Bakery
The story of La Paloma began with a dream and a leap of faith. In the 1980s, José F. Pérez and his wife Alamar Pérez left behind years of migrant work to plant roots in Toledo. After a factory closure left Jose suddenly jobless. He was known for his work ethic and warmth and took inspiration from an uncle’s idea: pastries. With guidance from a cousin who owned a bakery in Fremont, José began to bake, pouring his life savings and soul into what would become the first Mexican bakery in Toledo.
The early years were humble. Their first shop on South Street (1987–1990) was barely large enough for three to four people to stand in. But every morning at 4 a.m., José was there baking while Alamar finished her shift at another job before coming to help. When demand outgrew the small shop, she quit her job to join full-time along with José’s sister, Estella. Together, they built something lasting.
By 1990, La Paloma had moved to South and Broadway and by two thousand, it found its forever home in the heart of the Broadway Corridor. What started as a pastry shop soon expanded to include tamales, and barbacoa. Toledo had never tasted anything like it.
A Family Business Rooted in Faith
José Pérez passed away in 2010, but his spirit fills every corner of La Paloma. His grandson, Jonathan Ruiz, remembers being seven years old, earning ten cents for scraping trays, which is one of many memories that shaped his work ethic and love for the bakery.
“Grandpa thought this business would start and end with him,” Jonathan smiles. “He never imagined it would become a family legacy.”
Today, Jonathan and his wife Nicole, along with their four children, run La Paloma with the same devotion. During our interview, two of their kids worked quietly in the back, helping with the tamale machine. “They grew up here just like I did,” he says with pride. “This is our life.”
Faith has always been central to that life. Customers fondly recall José praying with them, making sure everyone was doing okay. “He loved the Lord,” Jonathan says. “He believed the bakery was more than a place to sell bread, it was a place to serve people.”
A Neighborhood Hub Where Everybody Knows Your Name
To step into La Paloma is to feel the heart of South Toledo. It is the kind of place where cousins stop by to buy food for a family wedding, and customers share stories about “Señor Pérez.” Flyers about local events line the walls. It is where you catch up on neighborhood news and bump into old friends. It is a Latino version of Cheers, as Jonathan laughs: “It’s where everybody knows your name.”
Through the decades, La Paloma has seen Toledo change. Factories close, families move, businesses come and go. But La Paloma has endured. Even when the Broadway Corridor construction project nearly forced its closure, Jonathan held on. “It was supposed to last six months, but it took over a year,” he recalls. “We lost employees and customers; it was one of our lowest points.”
Still, he pressed forward, grateful to loyal patrons who walked past barricades just to buy tamales. “We wouldn’t have survived without them,” he says. He is especially thankful for Commissioner Anita Lopez, who helped bring attention to the struggling local businesses.
Keeping Tradition Alive for Generations
Now, La Paloma serves five generations of families. Children who once came for pan dulce with their abuelos now bring their own kids. Customers drive from East Toledo, Perrysburg, even across state lines for their beloved tamales, conchas, and Christmas favorites.
The holidays are especially meaningful. “Christmas is our busiest time of year where we sell five times more than usual,” Jonathan shares. “It’s when families come together, and we get to be part of their traditions.”
Beyond pastries, shelves are lined with piñatas, blankets, and sombreros. These are treasures that connect families to Mexico. “We carry what reminds people of home,” Jonathan says. “It’s about more than food, it’s about identity.”
Giving Back to the Community
True to its roots, La Paloma continues to give. “If someone asks for a donation, I say yes 95 percent of the time,” Jonathan admits. He recalls a young man once caught stealing an enchilada platter. “I went out and told him, ‘You don’t have to steal from us, we’ll feed you.’ That is what my grandpa would have done.”
It is that compassion and the sense of belonging that keeps people coming back. La Paloma is not just a bakery; it is a ministry of kindness baked fresh daily.
A Legacy for the Future
As for what’s next, Jonathan hopes to one day package their famous tamales and enchilada sauce for stores, of course without ever compromising the family recipes. “It has to taste exactly the same,” he insists. “We’ve used the same seasonings and vendors for over 30 years.”
He dreams of opening additional locations and hearing customers tell stories about him the way they now reminisce about his grandfather. Yet he is realistic about the toll family business takes. “This work is hard,” he says softly. “If my kids want to follow their own dreams, that’s okay. I just hope they carry forward the values of family, tradition, community, and kindness.”
Before returning to the kitchen, Jonathan pauses, glances toward his children, and smiles. “I can’t see myself doing anything else,” he says. “I love this, and I am grateful. We are not just making food; we’re creating memories.”
So the next time you drive down Broadway, stop and support La Paloma! A place where every tamal, every concha, and every smile helps sustain a local legacy built on faith, family, and hard work. Be part of the story that keeps South Toledo’s heart beating.