BIRMINGHAM, Mich. – A bakery in Birmingham announced it is closing for good because of the money it’s lost during the coronavirus (COVID-19) closure.
The Townsend Bakery, located within the Townsend Hotel property at 175 West Merrill Street, revealed it would not be reopening.
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Owners said the COVID-19 pandemic has been a “very difficult and unprecedented time.”
“I can’t tell you how distraught I am to announce that the Townsend Bakery is now closed permanently," said Steven Kalczynski, the managing director of the hotel. “The staff, management and customers throughout the last 27 years have been amazing and I feel honored to have worked with such a great team of people.”
The bakery opened in 1997 and closed its doors due to social distancing measures in March. It didn’t offer takeout or delivery because the costs would outweigh sales, Kalczynski said.
All kinds of things go into making the best business decision possible, and there was no way that bakery could pull itself forward," Kalczynski said. "The numbers just did not work, so we made what was an unbelievably difficult decision, which was to close a successful bakery we felt had good neighborhood vibe in its offerings of baked goods and service.
“A heartbreaking loss of an irreplaceable gem of our city," said John Henke, of John Henke Law Group. "Thank you ladies for baking such sweet happiness for so many, to you a tearful goodbye. My mornings will never be the same.”
“Our customers are our family," Kalczynski said. "We know their kids. We know their families from different parts of the country. We take care of them every day and we consider them family.”