BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Small Business Month is celebrated each May, and on Niagara Street, one longtime staple has been serving up Puerto Rican culture and community for nearly 15 years.
La Flor Bakery has been serving up a sense of home for Buffalo's Hispanic community for over a decade.
Abby Rivera, who is of Puerto Rican descent, says she visits the bakery at least three times a week.
"Everything is fresh, and it's good," Rivera said. "It keeps the community and everyone together, and we all eat the same thing, so we're united."
For owner Luis Sexto, the mission behind La Flor Bakery is simple: to bring a taste of home to the neighborhood.
"Colombians, Dominicans, Hispanics," Sexto said. "The foods they like, we try to bring that here so they feel like they're home."
Sexto says rising inflation and costs have made it difficult for many small businesses to survive.
"We'd like Hispanics to open more stores and restaurants to bring the community more together and not push us out of the West Side," Sexto said.
He thanks the community for their support. In the next few weeks, they'll open a full-service restaurant, La Flor Bar and Restaurant, just a few blocks from their current location.
"It means a lot, it means we're accomplishing something so people can come to Niagara and Niagara can relive again," Sexto said.
La Flor Bakery continues to stand as both a business and a cultural hub, feeding customers and strengthening ties on Buffalo's West Side.
WATCH: La Flor Bakery grows with new location coming to Niagara Street corridor
