Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen Closing After Nearly Two Decades in the Village

WEST VILLAGE, NY — After almost 20 years on the corner of Downing and Bedford streets in the West Village, the Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen is closing its doors at the end of November. Co-founder of Blue Ribbon Eric Bromberg told Eater that the corner cafe has to leave at the end of November, when their lease is up at 35 Downing St. He didn't say exactly what happened with the landlord, but he said deciding to leave was an emotional process.

The restaurant empire won't try to move the location to another building, Bromberg told Eater. All 19 employees are being offered jobs at other Blue Ribbon locations across the city, he said.

The bakery is a village staple and has a history rooted in resiliency. The building where the bakery is housed had caught fire in 1997. A bartender who had lived there tipped off the Bromberg brothers that it would be a great place for a coffee shop. They saw the 150-year-old wood-fired oven and knew it was a special location.

The Bromberg brothers worked to remove thousands of pounds of rubble from the oven in the ruined location to make it usable again, Bromberg said.

"It's hard to even put into words how exhilarating and exciting it was, and still is," he said.

No word yet on what will be replacing the bakery.

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