A popular bakery in Airdrie has closed permanently due to economic hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Avenue Cakery and Bakeshoppe announced June 26 that its Airdrie and Cochrane locations would be shuttered.
“This decision was horribly difficult and it was not made lightly,” owner Debi Macleod said in a statement posted on Facebook. “Words cannot begin to express how grateful we are to have been such a welcomed member of these communities and have the most incredible memories from the past [10 and a half] years.”
According to its Facebook page, Avenue opened in September 2009. The business sold fresh-baked bread, cupcakes, birthday cakes, cookies, cinnamon buns and other dessert treats.
Macleod declined to be interviewed about the business' closure.
In April, Macleod told the Airdrie City View that, due to the pandemic, every employee had been either laid off or was voluntarily no longer working.
“I usually have five to six bakers doing what I’m doing by myself right now, ” she said at the time, adding the shop’s phone was still ringing “off the hook” with calls from customers hoping to place orders.
According to a Facebook post June 2, Macleod decided to take a break in order to “restructure and reorganize” the bakery so it could relaunch properly. According to the post, Avenue was seeking a new owner, but a prospective deal unexpectedly fell through at the last minute.
Many Airdronians reacted with sadness to the news of Avenue’s closure. As of July 6, Macleod’s announcement had received more than 770 comments.
Airdrie resident Jessica Jacobs said she was devastated to see the business close.
“The best thing about them was who they are and how they operated their business,” she said. “They’ve been here for so long and they’re a staple, not just for the services and products they provide, but the community support. They’ve been offering community support for years, so it’s devastating and shocking.”
As an Airdrie business owner, Jacobs added the loss of another small business highlights the importance of supporting the local economy.
“Our community businesses depend on us in situations like this, whether it’s the pandemic or a downturn in the economy,” she said. “The only way our community and local economy keeps thriving is if people support us.”
Avenue was a highly esteemed destination for those seeking dessert treats in Airdrie. On Facebook, it boasted a 4.9/5 rating, based on the reviews of 248 customers.
“Who doesn’t love the cupcakes?” Jacobs said. “And they also made the most amazing peanut butter balls. Their Nanaimo bars, birthday cakes – everything they did was amazing. I loved how, over the years, [Macleod] started to dabble with things like gluten-free and vegan. I thought that was really cool. Their cinnamon buns were amazing.”
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