Cyndi Loza

A smell of various sweet, fresh breads fills the air of Las Palomas Bakery.

Ovens warm the patrons who shop at the bakery at 814 S. Wells Ave., known for its Mexican pastries, breads and dishes. Staff bakes breads and pastries daily at 3 a.m.

“We turn on the air conditioning to combat the heat from the ovens, but the oven’s heat usually wins,” said bakery co-owner Maria Perez in Spanish.

But, customers feel a different warmth in the bakery.

“People tell me their problems, what happened yesterday, what they’re doing,” said Perez, 40, of Sparks. “They feel comfortable going to a place where they know someone will listen because, more than anything, people want to be heard.”

The Hispanic community on Wells Avenue has an influence on the bakery’s merchandise, Perez said.

“I couldn’t just open up this shop and start selling brownies,” Perez said. “Mexicans wouldn’t buy it.”

Instead, Perez sells pastries, Mexican cheesecake, cookies, bread pudding known “capirotada,” sweet breads called “conchas” and “pastel de tres leches,” a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk.

The shop’s choices are a delicacy for Graciela Lopez, 57, of Reno.

“To me the pastries here, the American pastries, don’t go well with me,” said Lopez, who purchased a slice of capirotada. “I like this bread, our bread, the ones that are made by Mexicans.”