In an age of microwave, quick-and-easy, freeze and defrost, the Magnolia Bakery takes us back to a time when we simply did everything the old-fashioned way: using the best and freshest ingredients, mixing them with lots of love, and taking the time to produce delicious homemade treats. Customers often request to lick the bowl as we prepare our desserts in our open-kitchen format. Some call and ask which muffins have just come out of the oven and are still warm.
As two women passionate for the culinary and homemaking arts, we opened the Magnolia Bakery in 1996. Allysa and I wanted to express our desires and creativity through a business that emphasizes a slow-paced, wholesome way of life reminiscent of 1950s America.
The Magnolia Bakery came into being over a brunch conversation during which we expressed for the umpteenth time our mutual frustration with our jobs and lifestyles. We finally decided that something would be done about it and opened up a wholesale baking business in early 1996. We soon received very positive feedback from our customers. When a retail space became available in our favorite neighborhood, the western part of New York City’s Greenwich Village, we grabbed the opportunity. The West Village seemed ideal. It is low-key and family oriented, a place where we can do what we love where we love it. Over the course of two months and with the help of an adept construction crew, we transformed an empty shell into a warm, cozy kitchen that feels “just like Mom’s.” We scoured the flea markets and vintage stores to buy just the right furniture, decorations, and lighting fixtures to create an inviting atmosphere. Most people who walk in say they feel as if they have gone back in time to “Mom’s” or “Grandma’s” kitchen, with butter, fresh eggs, and other natural ingredients in abundance, just lying about and waiting to go into the mixers.
In the three years we have been in business, our popularity has grown tremendously. With only word of mouth for advertising, people from all over Manhattan, the outer boroughs, the suburbs, and even as far away as Iowa order our desserts. There is usually a long line out the door at night and on the weekends, as people buzz around our store like bees in a hive, scooping up the last of our sweet creations. Many people in the arts are drawn to the Village and the Magnolia Bakery. Actors, supermodels, musicians, and other celebrities often hang out at the bakery, making it one of the hottest spots on Bleecker Street. But famous or not, all our customers feel a welcome sense of being home at Magnolia.
While the business itself is fast paced and hectic at times, our original aim and values remain the same—natural, fresh ingredients, carefully crafted with goodness and love. In a world filled with stress, deadlines, and overwhelming demands, it is comforting to hear customers come in and sigh, “Gosh, you make me so happy!”