A popular Houston bakery chain is one step closer to expanding its footprint along the South Texas coast and could get an economic incentive to do so.
This video created with the assistance of AI.
El Bolillo Bakery, the Mexican bakery chain with five locations across the Houston metro and another on the way in San Antonio, is considering expanding into the Coastal Bend with a $6 million production facility in Corpus Christi. On Thursday, September 10, the Corpus Christi Type B Corporation will consider approving a $363,000 business incentive agreement to help entice El Bolillo into bringing the bakery and more than 120 jobs to the Coastal Bend. The proposal has already received the blessing of the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors.
Code-named “Project Concha,” the agreement would entail awarding El Bolillo $363,000 from the city’s sales tax revenues to help offset at least $6 million in investment to transform a former Walgreens pharmacy into a “wholesale production and regional distribution facility combined with an on-side retail bakery,” according to documents obtained by MySA. El Bolillo would use the money to help purchase furniture and other equipment for the proposed production facility located just off the Crosstown Expressway at 2101 Morgan Ave., Corpus Christi, TX 78405.
In exchange, El Bolillo projects the Coastal Bend facility will create 121 new jobs and a combined $3.6 million in annual payroll for those workers. Both hourly and salaried workers would be eligible for a full complement of health and wellness benefits, would receive “cross-training” on bakery, production and retail operations, and would have opportunities for advancement, according to a presentation El Bolillo is slated to deliver to the city’s economic development leaders on Thursday.
Claudia Vasquez slides ‘Roscas de Reyes’ or Kings Bread on top a tray which are ready to be baked at El Bolillo Bakery in preparation for the Epiphany celebration over the weekend on Friday, Jan. 4, 2013, in Houston. After nearly 30 years, the company is expanding its footprint further into Texas, including a proposed $6 million production facility in Corpus Christi. (Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspap/Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag)
What is El Bolillo Bakery?
El Bolillo Bakery was founded in 1998 with a small shop on Airline Drive just inside of Loop 610 in Houston’s Greater Heights neighborhood. The panadería produces over 100 varieties of traditional Mexican pan dulce, including conchas, pan de muerto, rosca de reyes, and of course, bolillos. For the last three decades, the company has stayed within the Houston metro, cementing itself as an institution known just as much for giving back to the community as for its Mexican pan dulce.
A marquee outside of San Antonio’s upcoming El Bolillo Bakery. The San Antonio location is El Bolillo’s first expansion outside of Houston. But now, the company is also looking into expanding in the Coastal Bend. (Polly Anna Rocha/MySA)
But that has started to change over the past year. Last October, MySA reported that El Bolillo had acquired a San Antonio property that was once home to a gentleman’s club. Last month, MySA reported that renovations at the site are well underway, with a marquee reading “El Bolillo Bakery coming soon.” However, earlier this year, the bakery faced online backlash after a Houston civil rights activist called on locals to “di no,” or “say no” to the bakery over an executive’s alleged ties to President Donald Trump.
Now, the company is eyeing Corpus Christi. However, the Coastal Bend isn’t the only new region of Texas El Bolillo is considering. According to Thursday’s presentation materials, El Bolillo is also mulling expanding into North Texas.
“As the bakery looks ahead to future expansion, El Bolillo is actively evaluating the Corpus Christi and Dallas markets as potential next locations,” the presentation reads.
This article originally published at Viral Houston panadería chain eyes $6M South Texas expansion. What we know.