Proof Bread Stays in Tucson: Sourdough Bakery Jobs at the Old Cafe Francais Shops on Broadway and Wrightstown
TUCSON, AZ — Two east side and midtown bakery counters that looked like they'd go dark are staying open. Proof Bread, the Phoenix-area sourdough bakery and stone flour mill, has decided to stay in Tucson and keep both former Cafe Francais shops running, at 3855 E. Broadway and 7831 E. Wrightstown Road. Both shops are open now, Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the Tucson team is already growing.
A pop-up that was supposed to last a month just became a permanent Tucson bakery, and that means steady counter and bakery work on Broadway and on the east side.
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📍 Proof Bread Tucson at a Glance
| Business | Proof Bread, a sourdough bakery and stone flour mill based in the Phoenix area |
|---|---|
| Midtown shop | 3855 E. Broadway, San Clemente Shopping Center |
| East side shop | 7831 E. Wrightstown Road, Suite 113 |
| Operating since | October 9, 2026 (as a pop-up); staying permanently as of early November |
| Hours | Wednesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., both shops |
| Concept | Naturally leavened sourdough, croissants and sweet bakes, with flour milled in-house |
| New jobs | No public postings yet; the Tucson team has started adding staff |
| Industry | Bakery and food service |
From Cafe Francais to Proof Bread
Cafe Francais spent years as an east side French bakery favorite. Husband-and-wife owners Noelle and Daniel Martinez bought the business in 2019, built a following at the Wrightstown Road shop near Pantano, and later added a second counter in the San Clemente Shopping Center on Broadway. When the couple decided to close, Proof's team met with them and agreed to take over both spaces for October to see whether the idea could work.
It worked. Tucson Foodie reported on November 4 that Proof will stay, finishing out the Cafe Francais lease on Wrightstown and keeping the Broadway shop open. The Arizona Daily Star's commercial real estate report confirmed the takeover of both storefronts, and noted that Tucson restaurants started asking Proof to supply their bread as soon as the expansion was announced.
Proof says new customers come in every week and many come back several times. The company describes its plan here as growing step by step, not too fast.
How a Two-City Bakery Works
For now, the baking happens in the Phoenix area. Proof's team bakes overnight every day and drives the bread down I-10 to the two Tucson counters. Some of the practices the company built over a decade in Phoenix will take time to arrive here, so Tucson shoppers are seeing an early version of what could become a bigger operation.
That matters for job seekers. Right now the Tucson work is mostly front of house: running the counter, packing orders, keeping the cases full and talking customers through the bread. If Proof eventually brings any baking or milling to Tucson, that would open a different set of jobs, but the company hasn't announced anything like that.
The Tucson Team Is Already Growing
Proof has started building its Tucson crew. A baker who used to work at Proof's Mesa operation, and who had moved to Tucson less than a month before Proof arrived, has rejoined the team. One former Cafe Francais employee has signed on as well. The company's culinary director is helping lead the Tucson launch.
No headcount has been announced and we didn't find Tucson job postings yet. Two shops open five days a week still need people on the schedule, though, and early hires at a growing bakery often get first crack at the better shifts.
Pay: Both Shops Sit Inside Tucson City Limits
Proof hasn't published pay for its Tucson jobs. Both addresses are inside Tucson city limits, so the city's minimum wage is the legal floor: $15.45 an hour through December 31, 2026, rising to $16.00 on January 1, 2027. That's the floor, not a promise of what Proof pays. Our 2027 minimum wage breakdown explains how the city and state rates differ.
What It Means for Tucson Job Seekers
These are anticipated roles based on how the shops run today, not posted openings:
- Counter and retail staff: Taking orders, ringing up loaves and keeping the cases stocked. See the cashier career guide and retail sales associate career guide, or search bakery counter jobs.
- Bakers: Proof's one Tucson baker hire so far came from inside the company. Experienced sourdough bakers should still keep an eye out. Read the baker career guide and search baker jobs.
- Prep and kitchen help: Daily setup, packaging and pastry handling take hands. See the prep cook career guide.
More New Tucson Food Jobs
Proof isn't the only new name on the food scene this fall. Anatolia opened on Oracle Road in the old Chef Alisah's space, Howdy Diner is coming to the Sunshine Mile just west on Broadway, and Joesler Kitchen is hiring on River Road.
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Browse more in the restaurant and food service careers hub and the retail careers hub.
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📢 Employers: Opening or Growing a Tucson Food Business?
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Proof Bread in Tucson?
Proof Bread has two Tucson shops: 3855 E. Broadway in the San Clemente Shopping Center, and 7831 E. Wrightstown Road, Suite 113, on the east side. Both are former Cafe Francais locations.
What are Proof Bread's Tucson hours?
Both Tucson shops are open Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Is Proof Bread hiring in Tucson?
Proof has added Tucson staff, including a baker and a former Cafe Francais employee, but no public Tucson job postings or headcount have been announced. A TucsonHIRED job alert for bakery jobs will catch postings when they appear.
What happened to Cafe Francais?
Owners Noelle and Daniel Martinez decided to close Cafe Francais. Proof Bread ran pop-ups in both spaces starting October 9, 2026, and in early November said it would stay in both locations permanently.
Is the bread baked in Tucson?
Not yet. Proof bakes overnight in the Phoenix area and delivers to the Tucson shops every day. The company says it plans to grow in Tucson gradually.
What is the minimum wage at Proof Bread's Tucson shops?
Both shops are inside Tucson city limits, where the minimum wage is $15.45 an hour through December 31, 2026, and $16.00 starting January 1, 2027. Proof has not published its Tucson pay.
Fresh sourdough on Broadway and out by Pantano and Wrightstown is a good start. Get your resume ready, because a bakery that's growing step by step will be hiring step by step too.
