Lyndell's Bakery facts for kids
Lyndell's Bakery is a famous bakery located in Ball Square in Somerville, Massachusetts. It's known for being a classic American bakery that has been serving delicious treats for a very long time. In December 2007, the bakery celebrated an amazing 120 years of being open! It's quite special because not many full-service bakeries like it are still around in New England.
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Who Owned Lyndell's Bakery?
Lyndell's Bakery has a long history with several owners.
The First Owners
The bakery first opened its doors in 1887. For a while, people weren't sure who the very first owner was. But then, a history enthusiast named Bob Hallett discovered that Birger C. Lyndell, who was born in Sweden in 1866, was the original founder. He moved to the United States in 1880, a few years before starting the bakery.
Later Owners and New Flavors
In 1934, Eugene Klemm bought the bakery. He added some German-style recipes to the menu, making the treats even more diverse. Later, in 1968, Herman and Janet Kett took over the business.
In 2000, two new owners, Gary Bagarella and Bill Galatis, bought Lyndell's. They had experience from working with Dunkin' Donuts. Soon after, Bill Galatis became the sole owner of the bakery.
What Lyndell's Bakery Makes
Lyndell's Bakery bakes everything fresh from scratch every single day. This means they make all their cakes, pastries, and breads right there in the bakery. They are also very good at cake decorating, creating special cakes for all kinds of celebrations.
A unique item they are known for is their honeycomb bread. Some people who have moved far away, even to places like Georgia, still call to have this special bread shipped to them! Any leftover baked goods at the end of the day are kindly donated to the Little Sisters of the Poor, so nothing goes to waste.
Changes and Traditions at Lyndell's
When Bill Galatis became the owner in 2000, some customers worried that the bakery might change too much. However, Bill quickly learned that Lyndell's was loved for its classic style and recipes. He decided to keep most things the same.
New Opening Hours
One big change Bill made was opening the bakery on Sundays. During World War II, the bakery had stopped opening on Sundays because of food rationing. Bringing Sunday hours back was a great idea, and it quickly became their busiest day! He also started selling cream-filled pastries again during the summer months.
Keeping the Classics Alive
Even with these changes, Bill Galatis made sure to keep the bakery's most loved traditions. He kept the original recipes that customers adored, continued making custom-decorated sheet cakes, and even kept the old-fashioned sign outside the store. These things helped keep customers coming back year after year.
Other Locations
Lyndell's Bakery tried to expand by opening a few other locations. They had a store in Cambridge, near Central Square, which opened in 2010 but closed in 2013. They also opened a location in Boston's North End in 2009, but it closed in 2011. Today, the original Somerville location remains the heart of Lyndell's Bakery.
