OREM, Utah — La Brioche Argentine Bakery in Orem was more than just a place to buy pastries; it was a piece of home for many. After over a decade of serving the community, the bakery says they've closed their doors due to financial challenges.
"As an immigrant, you're looking for something to connect you back to your culture," said David Zoppetti, a longtime customer from Argentina said. "You're looking for a place that will keep your memories going, the foods your mom made for you growing up. It's very sad because it's like losing a part of you that kept you rooted close to home. "
Financial Strain
Flo Hernandez, daughter of the bakery's owner Leticia Silva, said declining foot traffic since the COVID-19 pandemic and rising operational costs made it difficult to continue. "Just with the economy, people were not coming through as much as before," Hernandez said.
FOX 13 News first spoke with the family last April, when the Utah County Health Department required them to build a new customer bathroom, even though the bakery had operated for more than a decade without one while they were under the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food's supervision.
"My mom has been optimistic about this place for years. She's had it for 12 years and it just kept changing," Hernandez said. "There were moments where like she wanted to give up and then someone new would discover the bakery. My mom would come home and say 'Ok, I think we need to keep going.'"
At the time, the family says they raised a little more than $13,000 through a GoFundMe. The money raised went toward building a bathroom. However, construction shut the bakery down last summer, costing them nearly a month of business.
"I think we've tried everything we could," Hernandez said.
A Community Staple
The bakery has served the community in Orem since 2008. Originally opened under different ownership, the business was taken over in 2014 by Silva, who had been an employee there.
The bakery became a cultural gathering place where customers could find familiar flavors and connect with others who shared their heritage. "It basically feels like home here," said Alan Krebs, another regular customer with family still in Argentina.
For customers like Zoppetti, losing La Brioche feels personal. “This is a place where you teach your kids about your culture," Zoppetti said. "Where they can taste where you’re coming from. It's not going to be the same."
The bakery served as more than just a business. It was a community hub where families created memories. Shalene and Alan Krebs recalled bringing their daughters to watch sports games with other Argentine families.
"It was a really good memory to bring my daughters here and be together with Alan and several friends for the World Cup," Shalene Krebs said. "It was an emotional time, with so much passion that I could feel from the Argentine people and the love they share for the culture."
While La Brioche closed on Sunday, Feb. 1, Hernandez said the family is considering new ventures, possibly including a food truck or cafe. "Behind every small business, there's a family that had a dream and made that dream possible," Hernandez said.
