One-of-a-kind dog bakery opens in Downey

DOWNEY — Downey’s newest bakery is likely to cure a few sweet tooths, along with wagging a few tails.

Hundreds – on two and four feet alike – lined out the door and down the street during the grand opening of La Pawnaderia this weekend, a Mexican-style bakery for dogs located at 13256 Woodruff Ave.

The bakery specializes in pan dulce and custom cakes made specifically for dogs.

Owner and self-described dog lover Adriana Montoya, 28, said that the concept stems from a “nostalgic take,” wanting to include our pets in indulging in some of our favorite treats while also keeping them healthy. She said it took her about a year to find her recipe.

“We don’t want [our dogs] eating things and getting them sick, and then having to deal with the aftermath of it and being outside on the grass,” said Montoya. “That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to open this bakery, is you’re able to come hang out with your dog and be able to enjoy them being happy.

Montoya says her bakery is likely the first of its kind in the country.

“As far as the way that we have the concept going, I’m only selling Hispanic-based treats,” said Montoya. “The word ‘pawnaderia,’ I have it trademarked.”

The bakery is also a space for dogs and their owners to hang out; it can even be rented out to host a dog party.

“I want people to be able to feel comfortable in having a space for their dog to come, and not have anxiety of people looking at you because you brought your dog,” said Montoya. “This is a dog-friendly place; a full-on, 100% area where your dog can be free and be themselves.”

Montoya’s bakery concept first started gaining momentum when one of her TikTok posts went viral. Prior to that, Montoya said she had been considering giving up on her business.

“The crazy thing about this story is I was actually about to quit. I was already like, ‘This is it; it’s not helping me with my bills.’ I have a four-year-old. It wasn’t helping the way I was trying to get income. I was working for Amazon Flex, Postmates, trying to get any kind of money just to pay my bills. I was literally to like pennies in my bank account,” said Montoya. “I consistently posted uploaded on Tik Tok; every night, I consistently did it. One night, I just uploaded a random video. It wasn’t even anything special; it was literally a photo of my treats, and a little meme that was trending at the time.

“I put my phone down, I literally started filling out job applications. Literally the next morning, 6 am my phone gets off of ‘Do Not Disturb,’ my phone is just consistently dinging. I look on there… its orders coming in, just back-to-back.”

In two days, Montoya received 1,200 orders. She says the one viral video resulted in $26,000.

“I knew I was on to something; it’s just by chance trying to find the right people, the right community,” said Montoya. “I finally hit it.”

With her new-found popularity, Montoya says she outgrew her space.

“We were growing out of our kitchen quick; our kitchen can only do so many treats,” said Montoya. “I was just taking over my mom’s house at that point. I was in her living room, and all over her kitchen. It was just time.

“It just so happened that I was passing by on this street and we saw this location.”

Montoya says the opening was “a long time coming.”

“We’ve been a home-based business for about a year and a half. We’re excited to be here,” said Montoya. “I’m a Downey resident myself; I grew up here in Downey. “Being able to open up something I’ve been dreaming of for a while in my hometown is a just a big deal for me.”