Despite being the ninth month in the Gregorian calendar, September is traditionally a time for new beginnings. Kids go back to school. The weather turns more temperate after summer’s often-brutal heat. Rosh Hashanah marks the Jewish New Year. And on September 1 in New Paltz, a beloved local institution was reborn: More than seven months after a disastrous flood, The Bakery on North Front Street has reopened to the public.
The public couldn’t be happier, it seems. Ever since a burst sprinkler system pipe spewed 37,000 gallons of water into The Bakery’s first floor and basement last winter, anxious queries about when the popular eatery might reopen have dominated its social media accounts. Upon announcing the commencement of reconstruction in May, The Bakery posed the question to the public, “What sweet are you most excited for once we reopen?” The replies on social media poignantly illustrated how much its offerings have been missed by the community. Rugelach was the most-mentioned item, but fans also clamored for the return of dinosaur cookies, macaroons, croissants, almond horns, bagels, Danishes and many other items. Exulted one loyal customer, “Challah-luia!”
Despite owner Dawn Borrello’s plan to keep reopening day a low-key affair, with nine new employees being broken in, the lines of eager customers extended out the front door on Monday. “We’ve got lots of new staff. I’m hoping people are patient,” Borrello said as she gave HV1 a tour a few days prior.
In fact, despite the losses to business income, Borrello demonstrated the community-mindedness that’s a big part of The Bakery’s appeal by keeping six key employees on payroll since the catastrophe in late January. “The bakers are the same,” she said. “I paid the bakers, the front-end manager and the office manager. Some collected Unemployment.”
Founded by David Santner in 1981, in a former barn at 13A North Front Street that had previously housed the New Paltz Food Co-op, The Bakery has become a key social gathering place in the village as well as a popular source for baked treats and quick lunches. It’s set back a little from the street, tucked behind the Bicycle Rack, whose proprietor Mike Kilmer has owned both buildings since he took the cyclery over from founder Alan Stout in 2019. Borrello bought out the business upon Santner’s retirement in 2023.
The Bakery had outdoor benches and picnic tables from the get-go, but no room for interior seating within its original footprint. Together, Stout and Santner expanded the building, creating a new counter area on the ground floor and a cozy second-floor loft with booths and small tables and a children’s play area. The exterior patio was resurfaced and improved, and has long hosted live music on Sunday afternoons.
The entire original shop now constitutes The Bakery’s expanded kitchen, which ironically was untouched by the flooding. The large pipe that burst – the supply line for the building’s sprinkler system – was first discovered on the afternoon of January 23, with water gushing into the customer restroom to the left of the rear entrance. The break was behind the wall on the stairwell landing, which had to be cut open by firefighters. It took hours for the Department of Public Works to break through a rusted-shut maintenance cover on the municipal water main and shut off the flow to the building.
Three inches of water quickly filled the serving area, draining through floor vents into the basement, where it was soon waist-deep. “It went down the stairs like a waterfall,” said Borrello. “The water was literally running down the electric panel. All the electric had to get cut off. Everything in the freezers and coolers was garbage.” The basement is where The Bakery’s ingredient supplies are stored, so Borrello lost about $30,000 worth of food. All the refrigerators, coolers and icemakers in the basement “were floating,” she said, and needed to be replaced.
Kilmer had to pay to repair the structural damage, Borrello the ruined supplies, fixtures and equipment. Insurance didn’t cover all needed repairs and restocking, so The Bakery turned to crowdfunding, quickly hitting its $10,000 goal on GoFundMe. In April the L Salon hosted a Beauty for The Bakery fundraiser, donating labor and contributing the income from a day’s worth of haircuts and blowouts toward the renovations. Borrello praised the community for turning out without hesitation to help this local social nexus get back on its feet.
And now the extensive work is finally done. A new sprinkler system has been installed, the pipes feeding it have been rerouted and some of the electrical system has been rewired. “Everything is now up to code,” Borrello noted. New hardwood flooring has been installed and the staircase to the basement replaced. Walls throughout the public part of the building have been freshly painted in the same familiar lilac-and-aqua color scheme, now hung with a retrospective of artworks by longtime Bakery supporter Susan Slotnick.
Gleaming new refrigeration units have been installed below decks, a new icemaker in the serving area. A 40-year-old toaster oven has been retired and an updated model acquired. “All the cabinets are new,” said Borrello.
She has replaced the display case nearest the front door – used for “savories” popular at lunchtime – with a smaller, more organized unit, making room at the other end of the service counter for a deep “grab ‘n’ go” cooler. “Customers’ biggest complaint has been that the line is long. We make stuff to order,” she explained. The new cooler near the cash register will be a place for those in a rush to pick up premade sandwiches, cold drinks, salads, cupcakes and cake by the slice.
Another innovation is soft-serve ice cream, in vanilla and chocolate to start. “We’re going to start making our own ice cream sandwiches with our fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.” That should be a draw, even for those who weren’t already chafing to get back to The Bakery. Also soon to be available will be individual French presses of coffee to take to your table. More adventurous lunch options will be added as well. “We have a new chef from Trinidad, so we’re going to be introducing some new Caribbean food.”
Borrello was quick to point out that, while new menu items will be added, nothing that customers have loved about The Bakery for decades is being taken away. It’s almost time for the specialty treats associated with the Jewish holidays to make their appearance, and soon after that comes the annual event that makes downtown New Paltz the place to be on Halloween: the Night of 100 Pumpkins.
Since 1990, kids and adults have been carving pumpkins and gourds into fanciful sculptures to display on tables in the outdoor courtyard at The Bakery, competing for prize ribbons in a variety of categories. Some are true works of art, and all are fun to see. There’s always live African drumming out front and giveaways of yummy pumpkin bread, hot cider and cocoa. So it’s time to start planning this year’s creative Jack O’Lantern design.
Meanwhile, stop in for a giant black-and-white cookie and a mochaccino, or whatever you please. If it’s a nice day, have a seat outdoors and check out the improvements to the courtyard, including new colorfully painted tables. The Bakery is back!
The Bakery is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more info, visit http://www.facebook.com/ilovethebakery or http://www.ilovethebakery.com
Join the family! 
