Bakery Future Remains Uncertain

By Nancy K. Crevier

Andrea’s Bake Shop owner Tony Posca met Wednesday, May 9, with The Bee, to clarify any misinformation about the Queen Street bakery that may be circulating around town.

“Andrea’s is for sale,” confirmed Mr Posca, but he will not announce any permanent changes until Sunday, June 3, when he hosts an Appreciation Day for his many loyal customers. “There will be free food and drink, and I’m hoping people will bring their stories to share,” he said, adding that the time for the gathering will be made known at a later date.

“If there is no buyer, the bakery will be closed. That,” said Mr Posca, “is a fact.”

Being a business owner and being a baker are two different aspects of life, said Mr Posca. The 11 years he has spent as owner have surpassed his initial goal of five to seven years. “It was never a lifetime decision to own a bakery,” he said.

“Now is the time to go on to pursue life’s new and available outlooks. I took on the last three years to keep jobs for people that might have been lost if the business closed,” Mr Posca said, but he is tired.

He is at Andrea’s six days of the week, from 4 am until anywhere between 2 to 6 pm, depending on the demands of the day and the time of year. “If I get tired, I don’t get to take two days off to recover. I met the love of my life last year and that’s part of my near future,” he said. “I’m looking to unwind and be at peace with myself and what the Lord brings my way,” Mr Posca said.

“I’m moving on for personal reasons and not for any other reasons,” said Mr Posca, and he will miss the customers who have become a part of his daily life. “There are people who love this place, and that has been a blessing,” he said.

The business has had several prospective buyers and Mr Posca stressed that his experienced bakers, clerks, and cake decorators could remain on staff to help any new businessperson move forward. He would be available for consultation and hands-on assistance under new ownership, if that is desired, he said. “I have been a baker for over 30 years of my life. I love baking. It’s the business end that is wearing me down,” Mr Posca said.

The cases will continue to be filled with the same cakes, cookies, doughnuts, breads, and pastries that have made Andrea’s Bake Shop a fixture in town for generations, he said, until further notice. He is very excited for what the future may hold, and hopeful that a deal will put the frosting on the cake in upcoming days.