It began with the COVID-19 pandemic, a tough economy, a year of road construction and finally, a flood that was the last straw for Sweet North Bakery, which has shuttered its Court Street operation.
Erin DeLorenzi, bakery co-owner with her husband Kris, said they had “fully intended to stay” and had plans to renew their lease.
“But then the flood happened, and part of the cleanup was emptying the basement where there were 10 years of events and different functions, equipment and our office,” DeLorenzi said.
“They took that all out and it just triggered this revaluation. We realized how tired we were and how we couldn’t imagine bringing all that back downstairs.”
She said their entire kitchen was dismantled so that they could remove the contents out of the basement.
“The thought of all that work to put it back together to get our systems back in place and replenish all the stock we lost, it was too much,” she said.
“We decided this energy is better spent on our other two locations, which we’re very happy with.”
DeLorenzi said the plan is to reposition her staff in the business’s Fort William Road and High Street locations, but some staff were laid off due to the closure as a result of the Court Street location flood. She said they want to increase their operating hours, which means they will be hiring more employees.
Meanwhile, the Court Street kitchen equipment is being transferred to the High Street location, which will expand operations.
“That was a big space that we had at Court Street and to try and make it fit into these smaller two buildings that really have no storage is taking some creativity and some paring down,” DeLorenzi said. “We will probably be doing that for a couple of months before we really are settled.”
DeLorenzi said they wish the new shop owners that eventually occupy the Court Street location the very best.
Both the High Street and Fort William Road drive-thru locations remain open throughout the week with Sweet North’s Bakery signature pastries.
