Porto’s Burbank opening delayed

Fred Ortega

Fans of Porto’s Bakery & Cafe in Burbank will have to wait a little

longer for the popular Glendale establishment to open its doors in

the community.

A new Porto’s, known for its vast selection of Cuban pastries,

sandwiches and other delicacies, was slated to open in a

14,000-square-foot building on the corner of Hollywood Way and

Magnolia Park this August. But that target date has been pushed back

to the end of 2005, owner Raul Porto said.

“We are in the middle of the permit process and hope to get

approval in about another three weeks,” Porto said, who opened his

first restaurant in Glendale in 1978. “Things are just taking longer

than we predicted. This is a very involved process, since we are

building a cafe/restaurant and a bakery. We just want to take our

time and get it right, not rush into things, so we can get the best

look and feel that we can.”

The delay has nothing to do with negotiations with the city of

Burbank, which approved a $790,000 loan to help Porto move into the

building. The structure has been vacant for more than six years.

“The city has worked with us, helped us get going, given us the

permits, and even cheering us on,” Porto said. “As for the building,

it was really old, it was tough to improve and whoever would have

moved in there would have had to get help from the city.”

The city’s assistance in getting Porto’s into the location makes

sense, Burbank Chamber of Commerce President William Jacot said.

“I think when you look at a downtown village area, assistance to

the right kind of businesses when appropriate has been done before,

and has been successful in helping to improve an area of the city,”

Jacot said. “Of course this has to be done on a case-by-case basis.

If it is good for the residents and businesses, as it is in this

case, then we are for it. If it brings negative impacts to neighbors

and businesses, the chamber wouldn’t support it.”

Some businesses in the area have expressed apprehension at having

the eatery, which Porto said draws about 2,000 patrons a day to its

Glendale location, move into Burbank.

“There has been a little bit of concern from some of the

neighboring businesses in the area, but we think they are strong

enough to handle the change,” Jacot said. “Besides, Porto’s will

bring increased traffic to the area that should benefit other

businesses as well.”

The increased traffic Porto’s generates was evident in Glendale on

Sunday, as people lined up out onto the sidewalk to place their

orders. Its popularity will continue in Burbank, said Elaine

Mellinger, a resident who has been coming to Porto’s for 15 years.

“It is wonderful that they are coming to Burbank,” Mellinger said.

“I told my daughter from Santa Clarita and all my friends that the

next time they come to visit me, we can go right down the street.”