The popular Nanaimo Bakery & Café has announced it will be stopping its regular service at the end of November.
The bakery said it has been facing increasing economic challenges and staffing issues over the last two years, and cannot continue with its current business model.
It is run by the non-profit charity organization Island Crisis Care Society, which is focused on supporting those who may be experiencing homelessness or people at risk of becoming homeless.
The bakery and café served as a source of income for the charity organization, which primarily relies on government funding.
“It’s been challenging. The food business is a hard business to be in. We had really high hopes at the beginning,” Corrie Corfield, Island Crisis Care Society’s director of people, culture and engagement, said.
“We were susceptible to all those same issues everyone else is facing. For two years, we have fought as hard as we could for (Nanaimo Bakery & Cafe) and we not justify it anymore. It was a tough decision.”
Nanaimo Bakery & Café would also be a place where the society would provide jobs to those experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. It’s last day open will be on Nov. 25.
The bakery and café are a local community favourite and will be missed, according to a nearby resident.
“I’ve been coming to their bakery since the beginning,” said Gertrude Godfrey, a Nanaimo resident.
“I am very sad. I think these people have been trying very hard to make it work.”
The building is owned by an extension of the charity, Rising Hope Services, and Corfield said other community events will still be hosted at the site, including pop-up markets in December.
Corfield said they are looking for vendors for the pop-up market and they can be contacted through Facebook.
The pop-up markets throughout December will be from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.