For those looking for a bakery with fresh sweets and treats while staying in a mountain cabin tucked away around Packwood, or perhaps a hearty Mexican-style breakfast or lunch after exploring White Pass Ski Area’s slopes or the Cascade foothills during the summer, Santo Milagro Breakfast and Sweets has a little something for everyone.
Opened by Aminadad “Mina” and Lorena Rojas, the Packwood bakery is a long-time dream of the couple, and they celebrated their grand opening on Monday, Jan. 29. The Chronicle visited Santo Milagro on Feb. 1 to find out more about the new business, located at 13807 U.S. Highway 12 next to the Packwood Lodge.
“It’s been a big challenge, but you have to work for it,” Mina said.
Mina explained that both he and Lorena were originally from Pátzcuaro, Mexico, and he came to the U.S. at 17 to work with his brother in California where they opened a bakery.
“I’m 45 now. It’s been a while … I spent about 20 years there, then I moved here to Washington,” Mina added.
First, they moved to Renton, Lorena stated, before moving to Mossyrock to help a coworker start their own business there, Nacho’s Mexican Restaurant.
“We were there for a few years,” Lorena said.
While they were there, they began planning to open their own bakery.
When the Nacho’s expansion in Packwood was announced, Mina offered to help establish the business in Packwood for a few months before heading back to Mossyrock to open his own bakery.
“We got really busy here in Packwood so we couldn’t open the bakery in Mossyrock,” Mina said. “After about a year, this place came out and we decided to come and see it.”
Santo Milagro’s location isn’t exactly what Mina and Lorena had in mind for their bakery, as it is much bigger than they originally wanted as they just wanted.
“We’re both bakers,” Mina added.
Since the location has space and they both have experience in other types of restaurants, they decided to go ahead and open a full restaurant along with the bakery.
“Because of Nacho’s, we made a lot of friends here in Packwood, and when we told them we were thinking of opening our own restaurant, everyone was excited,” Mina said.
Despite the added challenges, their first week was a success thanks to support from the local community, with the exception of some issues with the credit card machine.
Everything is made from scratch in house, from Mexican staples like tamales and huevos rancheros to sweet treats like turnovers, cheesecakes, muffins and more, all baked fresh daily.
“Lorena also makes really good cakes, all kinds, for birthdays, quinceañeras, things like that,” Mina added.
Santo Milagro Breakfast and Sweets is open six days a week, Thursday through Monday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, message Santo Milagro on its Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/4wuknwjc or call 360-492-7147.
