Lyndell's Bakery

Lyndell's Bakery is a bakery in Ball Square in Somerville, Massachusetts. In December 2007, it celebrated 120 years of operation.[1] Lyndell's is a classic, full-service American bakery, a rare holdout in New England communities.[1]

Ownership history

Birger C. Lyndell, born in Sweden in 1866, moved to the United States in 1880, seven years before the founding of Lyndell's Bakery in 1887.[2] He lived in Newton until 1901, when he moved to Somerville at an address a block away from the original location of Lyndell's Bakery.[2] A 1940 Newton directory listed Lyndell as retired.[2] The identity of the original owner was lost until uncovered by Bob Hallett, a genealogy buff, who read about the 120 year anniversary in The Boston Globe.[2]

The bakery's second owner, Eugene Klemm, purchased the business in 1934 and brought a German influence to the recipes.[1] Klemm sold it to Herman and Janet Kett in 1968.[1] In 2000, Gary Bagarella and a partner, Bill Galatis, former executives with South Boston-based Watermark Donut Company, one of Dunkin' Donuts largest franchises, bought the bakery.[3] Bagarella sold his stake in the business to Galatis in early 2000.[1]

Operations

Everything is baked from scratch each day, and daily leftovers are donated to the Little Sisters of the Poor.[3] Lyndell's does a strong cake decorating business, and people who've left the area have been known to call from as far away as Georgia and ask for shipments of the bakery's honeycomb bread.[3]

Changes after 2000

Although customers expressed concerns that there would be radical changes brought by the new owners after 2000,[3] Bill Galatis learned quickly that it would be difficult and risky to make changes to the formula that had made Lyndell's a local institution.[1] The store had stopped opening on Sundays during World War II due to rationing; Galatis changed that and Sunday became their best sales day.[1] He also restored selling cream-filled pastries in the summer months.[1] However, he preserved the classic recipes, custom-decorated sheet cakes, and retro storefront sign that have kept customers coming back.[1]

The bakery has expanded its operations by opening additional locations in Cambridge, near Central Square (opened in 2010, closed in 2013),[4] and in Boston's North End (opened in 2009, closed in 2011).[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Drake, John C. (2007-12-04). "Somerville bakery keeps recipe for success". The Boston Globe.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Drake, John C. (2007-12-04). "Globe reader finds founder of 120-year-old Somerville bakery". boston.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Goodison, Donna L. (2000-11-22). "Will Lyndell's ownership change be a piece of cake?". Boston Business Journal.
  4. ↑ "Lyndell's Bakery Is Closing Its Shop in Cambridge's Central Square | Boston Restaurant Talk". bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com. 30 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Lyndell's Bakery Has Closed Its North End Location | Boston Restaurant Talk". bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com. 13 June 2011.

42°24′0.2″N 71°6′46.6″W / 42.400056°N 71.112944°W / 42.400056; -71.112944

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