Berkeleys Nabolom Bakery and Pizzeria to…
A beloved California bakery that has served up candy treats and savory pies for 50 years is closing its doorways for good Sunday, as hovering prices and mounting business pressures take their toll.
Nabolom Bakery & Pizzeria, a longtime Berkeley fixture recognized for its fruit danishes, challah, cinnamon twists and vegetarian pizzas, will shut down after a long time of serving the Bay Area group.
Co-owner Sabra Stepak told SFGate that rising ingredient and utility prices, worker turnover and fierce competitors have made it more and more tough to keep the business working.
Nabolom Bakery & Pizzeria. Facebook/Nabolom Bakery
“It’s something that’s going on with all small businesses,” Stepak said. “Chocolate has increased three times. My PG&E (utilities) has gone up like 70%.”
The news of the closure has sparked a rush of prospects hoping to get one last style of the neighborhood favourite.
Nabolom noticed a line out the door between 8 and 11 a.m. Friday and bought out of pastries, Stepak said.
“We’ve probably had our most viable days in 10 years, probably three times more than we usually sell,” she said.
The business, which was began as a employee collective in 1976, has weathered financial bother before.
It nearly closed in 2004 when homeowners announced the business was practically $30,000 in debt and two months behind on rent. The bakery tried to keep afloat by taking advance funds for baked items and exploring new choices, including gourmand pizza and live occasions.
Nabolom noticed a line out the door between 8 and 11 a.m. Friday and bought out of pastries, Stepak said. Facebook/Nabolom Bakery & Pizzeria
Nabolom did finally close down in 2015 after a number of members of the collective left.
A 12 months later, Stepak and Julia Elliott purchased the business, paid off most of its debt and transitioned it to non-public possession. They revived the bakery and continued serving prospects for another decade.
“We’ve agonized over it and we just can’t do it anymore,” she said. “We’re exhausted.” Facebook/Nabolom Bakery & Pizzeria
Now, longtime patrons are mourning the loss.
“Without a doubt, the recent incarnation of Nabolom with Julia and Sabra, was THE BEST BAKERY in Berkeley,” one person commented. “I have lived in Berkeley for 60 years, and now grieve!”
Stepak said she stays open to promoting the business to somebody prepared to keep it going.
“We’ve agonized over it and we just can’t do it anymore,” she said. “We’re exhausted.”
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