Our Valley Santa Clarita November/December 2016 | Page 21

Small Business of the Month: California Bakery & Café By: Assemblyman Scott Wilk D uring my time in the Legislature, I’ve been frustrated by Sacramento’s agenda in support of big business, big labor, and ever larger government. Small businesses comprise 98 percent of all business in California and since their success are vital to our society, my office started the Small Business of the Month Program seeking to highlight and distinguish small businesses that hire locally, give back to local non-profits, and promote economic growth in our community. For the month of August, I recognized an outstanding Santa Clarita small business: California Bakery & Café. While they might be known for their deliciously fresh pastries, what is most remarkable is their enthusiasm for giving back to our community. Located on Soledad Canyon Road near Bouquet junction, the California Bakery and Café is an eatery that offers signature Mexican baskets, tamales, donuts and more. It’s a Wilk family tradition to unwrap Prieto’s tamales on Christmas morning for breakfast! The owner, Agustin Prieto, has built the California Bakery & Café into a gem of Santa Clarita in his 14 years of business. Understanding our children are our future, Prieto routinely donates to our local elementary school PTAs and high school sports teams for their fundraisers. And each year, Prieto brings Boy and Girl Scouts into his bakery to teach them how to cook and what it means to run a small business. Most recently, the Los Angeles County Fire Department thanked Prieto and the California Bakery and Café for donating to the Sand Fire emergency crews. Along with his community involvement, Prieto is a member of the Alliance of Multicultural Entrepreneurs, Hispanic Business Network, and an active member of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce Latino Business Alliance. Whether it’s investing in our children or worthy local causes, the generosity of Prieto and California Bakery and Café has had a profound impact across our community. Assemblyman Scott Wilk represents the 38th Assembly District encompassing Simi Valley, the northwestern section of the San Fernando Valley and most of the Santa Clarita Valley. 21