Having to visit the county courthouse might be a bitter necessity, but when it’s finally open to the public, folks will have something sweet to look forward to.
Paris Bakery and Deli will be setting up shop at the new county courthouse after county commissioners awarded them a contract to lease the space.
Paul Vazaldua, of Vazaldua and Associates, who prepared the bid packet that Paris Bakery submitted to the county, said the county commissioners’ decision was a historic moment.
“It is the first time that (the county) went out competitively to put a quality menu for the public and the employees of the courthouse,” Vazaldua said. “The way they wrote their requirements — what they are requiring us to provide the public — I think that the county did a very good job at putting those requirements together so that we would have good service in that new building.”
Because they will be a bakery and a deli, Vazaldua said they will also have daily lunch specials, a breakfast menu, a grab-n-go menu as well as their signature pan dulce.
Part of their commitment with the county was to be available during the late hours.
“Maybe not with a full service kitchen but we’ll have at least kiosks, grab-n-go items and things of that nature,” Vazaldua said. “Just like the halls of justice are there to serve everyone, we wanted our menu to be available for everyone that uses that courthouse.”
With their newest location at the courthouse, the bakery is introducing a mobile app to provide customers another way to place orders, whether a lunch order or specialty orders such as a box of conchas or a full pie.
The company expects to eventually expand the app to their other locations but, for now, it will only cater to the specialty menu available at the courthouse.
The bakery was one of three vendors who submitted proposals to the county to lease the food/retail space at the new courthouse.
The biggest factor in selecting a vendor was the amount they would compensate the county to lease the space, and they offered a monthly compensation of about $3,000, according to documents the company submitted to the county.
The contract is for one year though the county has the option of extending the contract for an additional three one-year extensions.
The term of the contract begins as soon as the courthouse is open to the public.
In putting together the proposal for Paris Bakery, Vazaldua said he pulled from his knowledge and experience of frequenting the courthouse and getting to know staff, attorneys and judges.
As he and the bakery waited to hear back on their proposal, he said he heard people were concerned that their offerings would be limited to cold refrigerators.
“A lot of the rumors will now be able to be dispelled because we will have a full service menu for all of the employees as well as the users of the new Hidalgo County courthouse,” Vazaldua said. “In discussions with people that work the courthouse, I tell everybody, ‘You couldn’t have picked a better gordito to figure out what is needed at the Hidalgo County courthouse.’”
