TAMPA, Fla. - In times like these, finding items like toilet paper and a loaf of bread can be near-impossible. The bakers at La Segunda are doing all they can to ensure the community has a place to go to find them.
La Segunda Bakery is known for its Cuban bread, but in the last several days, it’s become known for something else.
“I’ve been in this business for 20 years and it’s very weird to sell toilet paper at a restaurant,” said general manager Bruce Gilmore.
For the last several days, La Segunda Bakery has been selling toilet paper to those who can’t find it in stores.
“We have a direct connection with suppliers, and just trying to have an abundance of that, as much as we can do, and try to provide it at like a 20% mark-up,” Gilmore said.
Barely making a profit, they know it’s more important to help out the community. And it’s not just toilet paper. La Segunda now sells antibacterial soap, cases of water, paper towels, and sanitizing wipes.
Those are all items Barbara Caporice said she couldn’t find anywhere.
“It’s kind of hard to find what you need, I’m fortunate that they’ve opened the stores to seniors, and now I’m very fortunate to have found the soap that La Segunda has,” she said.
Caporice first heard about it on the bakery’s Facebook page.
“I was so pleasantly surprised that they could give their heart out to the community,” she said.
And in case you can’t find bread, Gilmore says they bake thousands of loaves every day, and they will continue to for as long as the customers need.
“We just feel good to help out in this time, and they’re helping us, because we’re trying to feed our families just as they’re trying to take care of theirs. I feel we’re helping each other,” he said.
It's a newfound generosity that might be the greatest thing since sliced bread.