My neighbor is an independent baker. He makes “regular” bread in various types in addition to pastries.
He closed his retail business during COVID and never reopened it. He reports that it is significantly less hassle to sell directly to local businesses (restaurants, delis, etc.) and their only consumer sales are now made at local farmer’s markets. Your local bakeries only sell pastries because they’re the only things that sell. The reason for this is broadly speaking that individual consumers are whiny and entitled shitheads, and “the grocery store has it cheaper.”
That makes sense. It honestly is hard to compete with the grocery bakery. You can get macarons imported from France at Walmart. They’re about $5 for twelve and honestly aren’t bad. I’ve seen bakeries charge $40 for that same amount.
My neighbor is an independent baker. He makes “regular” bread in various types in addition to pastries.
He closed his retail business during COVID and never reopened it. He reports that it is significantly less hassle to sell directly to local businesses (restaurants, delis, etc.) and their only consumer sales are now made at local farmer’s markets. Your local bakeries only sell pastries because they’re the only things that sell. The reason for this is broadly speaking that individual consumers are whiny and entitled shitheads, and “the grocery store has it cheaper.”
That makes sense. It honestly is hard to compete with the grocery bakery. You can get macarons imported from France at Walmart. They’re about $5 for twelve and honestly aren’t bad. I’ve seen bakeries charge $40 for that same amount.