In 2010, Tacos Mexico owner Alex Rosales opened Panaderia Mexico next to his restaurant and gave Casper its first and only Mexican bakery.
After running both his busy restaurant and the bakery, he decided to sell the bakery to another operator. Unfortunately for Casper, the bakery closed last year.
The loss was felt, according to Rosales. “A lot of people were upset, and I wanted people to enjoy this again,” said Rosales, who worked to find the right person to revive the bakery. “It requires somebody who has a passion for this,” said Rosales.
He believes he found that person in Gustavo Dieguez.
With help from Rosales, Gustavo along with his wife Isabel and son Christian have recently reopened the bakery, now named Bakery Don Gus.
Gustavo recently moved to Casper from Guatemala City to be closer to some of his children and grandchildren here. He was only 8-years-old when he first started helping his father bake, and he’s been doing it ever since. Rosales says Gustavo has always dreamed of owning his own business, and he was more than happy to help.
Gustavo’s Guatemalan background brings more variety to the bakery. Guatemalans enjoy crispy treats that are meant to be dipped in milk or coffee. Another staple is banana bread and muffins, which are exquisitely flavorful and soft but not mushy. The overall sweetness of Guatemalan pastries is similar to Mexican style, which is much more subdued if you’re used to American donuts.
Experienced baker Guillermo Maldomado, who Rosales originally recruited from Denver, has been brought back into the kitchen to focus on the Mexican-style pastries and breads.
Gustavo and his team starts their morning at 3:00. Fresh, warm bread is out by opening time at 6:00 a.m. and they continue serving until 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Breakfast burritos are also on the menu.
“It’s two different cultures coming together, so there’s more to offer,” said Rosales. “There’s nothing else like this around here.”
Bakery Don Gus is open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday at 2117 E. 12th St., Suite B next to Tacos Mexico.
