News Release - Mayor Warren Helps Celebrate Opening of El Morro Bakery on North Clinton Avenue

City of Rochester

News Release

(Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren joined City Councilmember Jacklyn Ortiz and business owners Pedro Ortiz and Brenda Rios today to celebrate the grand opening of El Morro Bakery, which will specialize in baked goods and desserts from Puerto Rico in the heart of an area called La Avenida because so many residents emigrated from Puerto Rico.

“El Morro is going to be a wonderful addition to North Clinton Avenue,” said Mayor Warren. “Many people who live here will enjoy favorite foods from their native land and others will travel from outside the neighborhood to find unique and special items they won’t find in other bakeries. When they get here, they’ll see all the great things that are happening in this neighborhood and they’ll tell their friends about it.”

Ms. Rios and Mr. Ortiz also own Borinquen Jewelry, which is in an adjoining storefront in the same building as El Morro, which is at 980 N. Clinton Ave.
North Clinton Avenue is home to the city’s largest concentration of Latino residents, many of whom – if not most – are from Puerto Rico or are of Puerto Rican descent. About 39 percent of residents who live within the “immediate trade area” - a one-mile radius of the intersection of Clinton and Clifford avenues - are Latino.

The bakery is named for an historic fort and national monument in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the interior has been decorated to reflect that area of the city. The opening of El Morro Bakery will add to the neighborhood stabilization and create jobs.

The opening of El Morro will help advance the goals of the City’s vision for the La Avenida area, which calls for developing a market niche with a focus on Latino and other multi-cultural offerings of goods and services. El Morro has 5 employees.

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News Media: For more information, contact Press Officer Jessica Alaimo at 428-7135.