Detroit Bakery To Close Popular Midtown Location

DETROIT — A popular Detroit bakery announced it will close its flagship location in Midtown after 25 years and move to a nearby location.

Avalon International Breads will close its cafe on Willis Street on Sunday and move its operations to nearby Canfield Street, co-founder Jackie Victor announced in a Facebook post Tuesday.

The bakery decided to shut its doors at the Willis Street location because of the changing nature of the Cass Corridor and the post COVID-19 economy, Victor said.

"In the past two years since COVID hit, we have worked endlessly to restart and retool the entirety of the business," Victor said. "Our dedicated staff and partners have invested enormous resources: time, money, heart and soul. This new economy demands collaborations, partnerships, increased efficiency, a reduced carbon footprint and shared resources. The economy has shifted and now, so must we."

Victor encouraged customers and the community to share their memories of the Willis cafe by email, Facebook or stopping in the cafe sometime this week.

Avalon's new location at 411 W. Canfield inside Jolly Pumpkin is expected to open on Feb. 14. They plan to keep most employees from the Midtown location.

"I thank you in advance for your compassion and understanding for our employees and our business," Victor said. "There are no words to express my gratitude for the hard work of our team, the generosity of our partners and, of course, the beloved community that has sustained us."

Avalon also has locations in downtown Detroit, Rivertown on Jefferson, Royal Oak and Ann Arbor.