It’s a bitter sweet time at Birdies Cottage Bakery in Chilliwack these days.
Although owner Johanna MacDonald is excited about the growth of the catering side of her business, she has reluctantly decided to close the Mill Street storefront in late December.
Birdies Bakery has been a Mill Street fixture for 12 years, and it has been a rewarding eight years as owner, Johanna says.
But the change will give her more time to focus on her passion for providing the best to her catering clients.
Johanna has a loyal following. Regular costumers have come to appreciate her attention to detail, personal service and her insistence on the freshest and best ingredients.
It’s the little things, like using quality bread for sandwiches, the freshest vegetables, and creating all her sumptuous desserts from scratch.
Her focus is on smaller gatherings, where a working lunch, or a break for tea and treats, can make all the difference.
Her pies, either baked or ready-to-bake, are also available at the Farm Store in Yarrow.
The decision to close the storefront was not an easy one, Johanna admits.
She won’t miss the 4:30 a.m. mornings (sometimes 2:30), she says with a smile.
But she will miss her customers. “Especially the little ones,” she says.
“We’re providing nostalgia here,” she explains. “We do all the squares and fresh-baked scones your grandmother used to make.”
She’s proud of the fact that years from now someone will remember, as an adult, the cookies and cakes they had as a child at Birdies.
There’s still time to create those memories. The storefront will be open until December 24.
“We can’t not do Christmas one more time,” Johanna says.
Birdies is kicking the season off with its open house from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 9. They’ll be making room for all their seasonal favourites.
They’ll be doing all the Christmas baking – and they don’t mind if you take the credit.
“Throw a little flour in your hair,” she says with a laugh. “We won’t tell.”
Birdies Cottage Bakery and Catering is located at 9371 Mill Street, Chilliwack. Call 604-793-1993; email info@birdiesbakery.ca, or find them online at birdiesbakery.ca/
