Needed business in GTO - a bakery and ?

[Mickey]

I think that GTO desperately needs a good bakery with an assortment of breads, pies, cakes, cookies, etc. SMA has much better pastry shops, most run by foreigners.

I'm curious what other businesses, products and services that folks think are missing in GTO - in particular, what businesses would be good candidates for expat owners?

[Heather]

Would like to see another quality picture framing service, and a greater variety in ethnic eateries. No doubt this is a franchise operation but would love an Office Depot or Office Max here even if on the outskirts. And maybe a mail service.

[stephen carew]

I think that GTO desperately needs a good bakery with an assortment of breads, pies, cakes, cookies, etc. SMA has much better pastry shops, most run by foreigners.

I'm curious what other businesses, products and services that folks think are missing in GTO - in particular, what businesses would be good candidates for expat owners?

[The Duck]

Businesses needed - or- wanted?

For any business to succeed there has to be a sufficient market to support it. Maybe that exists in SMA for the more ?refined? and ?exotic? things wanted but not here, not now, or at least not yet - when it comes to that we'll just be another SMA won?t we?

How many of us remember the GTO of 15-20 years ago?

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you just might find
You get what you need

[doncoulter]

I'm with The Duck on this. I first lived in Guanajuato eighteen years ago, long before Mega, Soriana, Comercial, Starbucks, Domino's, Radio Shack, and so on, and in most ways I liked it better then. You couldn't buy much of anything here--I remember schlepping to Le?n just for underwear--but on the other hand there was much less traffic congestion, graffiti, and crime.

Sure, once in a while I too long for a Lebanese or Thai restaurant, but I can satisfy the craving with a day trip to San Miguel. If we had more exotic restaurants in Guanajuato, the San Miguel crowd might come here. And we wouldn't want that, would we?

Don

[guanajuatoguru]

I must agree with Don and The Duck! We would just be another San Miguel.... The only service that could be nice is the smart car/ zip car idea. As much fun as the bus rides are to leon and san miguel, it would be nice to have a car for a day or a few hours to get around with more ease. Any thoughts??

P.S if you have forgotten all the non- commercial beauty that Guanajuato offers, visit www.guanajuatoguru.com and discover it all over again!!!!

[roberb7]

I've been in GTO for 13 days now, and am still looking for what I consider a "good" bakery. Yes, I know, there's lots of "panaderias", but most of their products are sweet, and I don't like them at all.

What I'm looking for is European-style bread: 9-grain, 3-grain (what the Germans call "korn"), Russian rye, that sort of thing.

[doncoulter]

Quit looking, roberb7. There are no good bakeries in Guanajuato. A few years back, there was an independent baker who made good, whole-grain bread, but he was forced out of business when he developed an allergy to gluten or something. Since then, nada. The only solutions are to make regular trips to SMA or Le?n, or make your own.

Yes, the panader?as leave much to be desired, but some are better than others. My favorite is the one across the street from Jard?n Reforma. Its bolillos are the best in town.

Don

[raquelita]

I think there are two schools of thought about living in Guanajuato, one of seeking a comfortable US style life but more cheaply and the other mostly (not completely) being resourceful with what is here.

In this spirit I mention the large and small cookies and pan de higo (fig cookies) at the bakery on Calle Alhondiga (vertical sign saying PAN but not as I first thought the office of the political party). The baker-owner is from Mexico City. You can find acceptable whole wheat bread at several bakeries + El Comer/Mega, not as good as what's sold in SMA I admit. I am also a great fan of the michis (flat round bread) at EC/Mega.

Note that Veronique will reopen her French Mediterranean restaurant soon, that there is a new healthy "Hindoo" restaurant in the Baratillo, arguably the best Japanese food in Mexico off San Fernando and good falafel at two restaurants. By the way, we expats aren't the only patrons at any of these places.

For sophistication and comfort, I like to drop in from time to time at The Italian Coffee Company, a Mexican chain that started in Atlixco near Puebla.

[doncoulter]

Raquelita, I would love to know the names and locations of the "several bakeries" where you've found "acceptable whole wheat bread." I've looked and never found such, but of course I haven't tried every last bakery in town.

Don