Owner of Southwest Diner to open bakery

Friday, March 6, 2009 | 10:40 p.m.

Where there once were the luring scents of salmon or potato pancakes, there will soon come the sweet smell of fresh puffy pastries.

Southwest Diner on March 2 moved one block down the street to 761 Nevada Way, and its owner plans to open a bakery and donut shop this month in the diner’s old building, 825 Nevada Way. The diner also will remain open.

Cindy Ford said Mama Ford’s Tasty Pastries will offer freshly baked muffins, breads, pies and cookies. Customers will be able to stop in or use the drive-through. Donuts will come each morning from Friendly Donut House on Boulder Highway.

Ford said she hopes to open March 17. The planned hours are 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ford said she used to bake cakes out of Southwest Diner, but ran out of room.

She said the restaurant had outgrown the building, so she moved it to the old Bradley’s BBQ Restaurant, which before that was Bob’s All Family Restaurant.

In its new spot, Southwest Diner will still be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and on Sunday, and until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Ford said that during the economic downturn, she’s lucky to have a lot of good help to assist in running the business.

“We’re very blessed right now,” she said. “If it wasn’t for all our wonderful employees, we would never have been able to do this. Everybody around town really likes them, and we’re very lucky because a lot of people aren’t doing well right now.”

For more information about Mama Ford’s Tasty Pastries, call 293-1537.