pink building
Have you noticed the newly pink building on Excelsior Blvd. in St. Louis Park? It used to be the lime green Judith McGrann, so the change moves a little softer but no less electric for the new tenant.
Honey & Rye owner Anne Andrus is the pink painter and she has big plans for the building that lies a few hundred feet from her original bakery. The new, larger building will act as a headquarters for the business and a launch space for her new concept: bakehouse.
It's not just wholesale, but innovation that bakehouse will be chasing. The new building will house the team's production kitchen along with a new shop featuring their latest pastries and baked goods, plus there will be enough space to hold classes and private events. This new space more than doubles their footprint with some 4,000 square feet.
anne andrus outside pink wall
Anne Andrus
"It’s been super exciting to work on a new menu as we’re allowing ourselves to think outside the *banana bread* box," Andrus told me in a note. "We’re committed to not having the exact same line-up as H&R while staying within our wheelhouse of what we know best. Our main issue was not having enough kitchen space, we have had to curb expanding our menu, as we immediately run into space constraints. My staff will tell you that I’m currently obsessed with liege waffles, so we’re doing some testing with those, and there also seems to be a lack of ice cream in the neighborhood, so dreaming about ice cream cookie sandwiches- both are items we could not even consider at the bakery due to the lack of space. I’ve also been eager to expand our cake program, which I think has lots of potential, but also requires more elbow room than we have right now." As an SLP resident, I can say PLEASE bring the ice cream.
Don't worry fans, the original 9 year old bakery is staying open. It will continue to offer all the good breads, ham sandwiches, and occasional pretzels it's become known for. And the Le Café counter that Andrus and team recently opened at Alliance Française will continue onward.
But why not expand beyond the block? "We love SLP, and SLP loves us! The real goal at the heart of the expansion has always been additional production space. We need more kitchen square footage to maintain our current operations (another year of Thanksgiving production out of our original location, and the bakers will strike!) So really, the aim was to find something as close as possible to our flagship location, so we’d make it easy on our staff and all the coordinating and shuffling that having a second kitchen would present. We just so happened to find something really, REALLY close! We are thrilled that there was JUST enough room to squeeze in a super cute shop so guests can visit us here as well. Lastly, we knew we wanted to get back into offering baking classes and birthday parties, and it’s a closer connection for our current customers to be able to provide those in such close proximity to H&R."
To all this excitement, allow me to add that starting today (12/6) Honey & Rye is offering 20% off all gift cards (minimum $10 purchase), and even better: the holiday menu has officially dropped. There's Kringle, people! Not to mention stöllen and the best bake-at-home Monkey Bundt. Trust me. Order by the 18th this year, and then get excited for what might be on deck for next year.
Look for bakehouse to open to the public late winter or early spring 2023.
