TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa favorite for freshly baked goods, Pancho Anaya Bakery, remains open amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It continues to offer an array of Mexican pastries, in addition to gallons of milk and egg cartons; however, the family-owned business has recently seen a decrease in sales.
"Our wholesale area has been affected a little more because we sell to a lot of local restaurants. We sell buns, we sell telera bread, we sell tres leches cake," says Jennifer Anaya, general manager of Pancho Anaya Bakery.
She says they also joined other restaurants and shut down their dining areas after recent restrictions went into effect.
For now, Anaya says they have been lucky to not lay off any of their employees, but they have been closing one hour earlier than normal. She adds that safety is a top concern and have made some changes to the way customers select their bread.
"We are only allowing one adult per family to come in... we set some distance in the registers, so people can keep their six feet apart," explains Anaya.
They have set hand sanitizer by the tongs and trays, so customers can clean their hands before touching anything. The employees wear face covers and gloves, while trying to clean and disinfect as much as possible.
While the coronavirus situation continues to rapidly evolve in Oklahoma and across the nation, she and her staff are thinking of ways to make the bakery experience more convenient for customers.
"Maybe just selling boxes of a variety, and that way we can take outside and charge their credit card outside. That way they won't have to come in," says Anaya.
They hope to continue staying open as long as possible during this uncertainty. Pancho Anaya Bakery first opened its doors to Tulsans in 2003, but the Anaya Family has been in the business for much longer. Pancho Anaya started a bakery in the state of Michoacan, Mexico in 1912.
They currently operate three locations in Tulsa: 2420 East Admiral; 11685 East 21st Street and 212 South Garnett Road.
Their current hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.
Pancho Anaya Bakery is one of several local small businesses and restaurants we continue to highlight in our "We're Open Green Country" series. Visit our website, for a full list of businesses. You may also fill out a submission form for a small business that is still operating and offering essential services.
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