The landmark Richmond Bakery in west Ottawa suddenly closed its doors Saturday after more than seven decades in business.
Owner Johannes Kunert left a simple handwritten note taped to the window, red ink on white paper that read: “Sorry, closed! Thank you all, for your support over the years! Joe.”
Kunert was out of town Sunday, said his bookkeeper, Elaine Morgan, but he’d asked her to speak after people took to social media lamenting the loss of the bakery and trying to make sense of the sudden news.
“He’s been trying very hard to make it more sustainable without it all being on his shoulders,” said Morgan outside of the Perth Street shop. Lines of cookies – oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, sugar jam — and tarts were still on display inside. At the back of the bakery, only a screen separated the bright day from the still sweet smell of tart shells left on discarded trays.
In the end, Morgan said staffing was the issue despite Kunert’s efforts to hire bakers.
“He says it’s a dying trade,” Morgan said. The bakery has been around since 1939 and owned by the Kunert family since 1974. It was well-known for its old-fashioned doughnuts, fresh bread and chelsea buns.
“When your costs increase and your production stays the same, your margins are going to drop. So the only way is to increase production and to do that, he needed more baking hours,” said Morgan, who first met Kunert when he hired her daughter to work at the bakery. It was a first job for many in the community, she said.
“There were no more hours left in the day for him to put into it.”
Morgan said it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment on his finances, but that both had known for a while that although demand for business wasn’t winding down, closing was a possibility. And she said it was difficult for Kunert to juggle his craft with the business side of things.
“His dad was a baker, he was a baker. He was never as happy as when he was up to his elbows in flour,” she said with a laugh. Kunert had been baking for more than 30 years.
But why close suddenly on the weekend?
“He hit the realization that he can’t find anybody and it was the right time.”
The Richmond Bakery closed its doors suddenly Sunday after decades in business.
Morgan said Kunert packed up what he could Saturday night, letting the last customers take boxes of goodies away, but said he’d be back to deal with paperwork.
“You don’t get to just close the doors and be done,” she said, adding she didn’t know if the beloved bakery was up for sale.
It’s a sad day for small, individual squares of chocolate cake. #RichmondBakery
— Hart Shouldice (@Hartamophone) August 10, 2014
The news came as a shock for many in the city, even Kunert’s friends.
Christopher Abson said he’s known Kunert for 17 years, since he opened Christopher’s Meat Market just down the block from the bakery.
“He was the first guy who came over to say, ‘Hi,’ ” said Abson of Kunert, adding they became good friends. He also was an avid customer of the neighbourhood bakery. “He’s made all my kids cakes.”
Abson said he’s sad to see it go.
“It’s a landmark.”
The Richmond Bakery is now closed. My life has lost value exponentialy.
— Michael Stuyt (@mikestuyt222) August 9, 2014
Siblings Peggy and Rod Kelly echoed that description. They rolled up to the glass doors Sunday afternoon, hoping to buy donuts for their brother’s 59th birthday, saying it was a common trip to make for family get-togethers.
“It looks sudden,” said Rod, noting the cookies and tarts still on display.
He said they, like many in the area, had been coming to the bakery for decades. They came as children in the 1960s.
“It was a treat,” said Peggy. “It was tradition.”
Home to hear my neighborhood bakery, Richmond Bakery has closed, so sad. No more smelling cookies baking when walking the. Dog.
— Peter Hallinan (@PeterHallinan1) August 11, 2014
