At the age of 15, Laura Molinar was selling pastries at pop-up bakeries throughout the city. Now at the age of 21, she owns a popular bakery and cafe in Dalworthington Gardens.
PanPan Bakery and Cafe is a popular spot. The concept, a Mexican-Japanese fusion, attracted a lot of attention through the cafe’s popular social media posts.
The bakery sells a mashup of foods from each culture including matcha conchas and horchata matchas. The unusual menu attracts a diverse group of locals and foodies intrigued by the concept.
Contact information:
Location: 2110 Roosevelt Drive, Suite A, Dalworthington Gardens
Phone: 682-563-9196
Instagram: @panpanbakeryandcafe
This Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Isaiah Rodriguez: You’re 21 years old and you’re running a full-blown bakery. How does that feel, especially with a lot on your plate?
Laura Molinar: It’s amazing, it feels like I’m living my dream. I always have the feeling that I can’t imagine doing anything else. This was what I was made to do. So luckily, I haven’t been in the work industry for so long that I don’t really know much else to be accustomed to. I’m so fresh into this that this is my normal. I’m 21 but I don’t really go out at all. I don’t really have weekends, I’m here taking care of people. But I mean the legacy is so much bigger than just myself.
Rodriguez: You have such a close connection with your customer base, like just now you told those girls to pose for a picture. Do you know them, or were they just customers?
Molinar: I’ve actually never seen them, but they’re just so sweet. They were wearing my merch, so when people are wearing it — and they are just sitting there and enjoying themselves and the space — it means the world to me. So I don’t hold back from showing that.
Rodriguez: How does it feel that so many people are drawn to this business and what you’ve created?
Molinar: It’s just so crazy that I’m able to touch so many people and so many communities and connect with them. When they come in here they are always taken care of. (Food critic) Keith Lee recently posted a video (about us), and the comments — oh my god — so many people are going through and recommending us. It feels really good for sure, like we’re doing something right.
Rodriguez: What gave you the idea for such a concept, a Mexican-Japanese fusion?
Molinar: When I was younger my dad would show me anime. He would show me Dragon Ball, Caballeros del Zodiaco. I was very immersed in that culture. We went to Japan, and we went to the 7-Eleven and, oh my god, the bread is next level. And I love Mexican pan dulce, but I feel like the bread part got a bit dry. So I’m like, let me mix the two together, and it felt like something I could fully support.
Rodriguez: Your social media, I’ve watched some of the videos. They’re hilarious, do you run it?
Molinar: So, actually, my best friend runs it, it’s a beautiful story. I met her when we were 6 years old in kindergarten. We were so close, and I moved away. We kept in touch, but we were not talking every day. When I came back to Texas we rekindled. I opened my business and she’s like, put me in there. And the initiative she takes. She’s amazing.
Rodriguez: What are some challenges running a business like yours, especially at such a young age?
Molinar: I feel like the most difficult part is balancing my life, balancing my hobbies, and balancing my job. I have gone through periods where my business engulfs me and my entire being. But when I am able to step away, I find inspiration.
Rodriguez: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Molinar: I just want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who has come and supported me. Like, they have so much understanding and compassion in everything that we do and that’s something I will never, never, ever forget.
Isaiah Rodriguez is a reporting intern for the Fort Worth Report. He is part of the University of North Texas Scripps Howard Fund Emerging Journalists Program. Contact him at isaiah.rodriguez@fortworthreport.org.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Related
Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.
Republish This Story
Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details.