Amy's Bread Moves Baking Operations From Chelsea Market

The foodie-tourist center of New York has lost one of its most loved attractions, as Amy's Bread has papered over several of its windows and moved its bakers and ovens from Chelsea Market over to Long Island City, Queens.

"Over the past 16 years in Chelsea Market, we have enjoyed showing you how we make our bread. We have been mixing, shaping and baking our bread where you can watch us through the big windows. But now that our product selection and our production volume have grown, we have run out of space," reads a notice in the papered-over window and on the Amy's Bread website.

Only the baking facilities are leaving, though. Amy's says it will maintain a retail presence in the space and is converting the former baking facilities into a much larger, 2,000-square-foot retail storefront with a baking demo kitchen so visitors can watch dough being mixed, shaped, and baked, just like they used to when the baking was being done there. The new store is expected to be unveiled in September. 

The Village Voice's Robert Sietsema spotted the writing in the window, and describes the departure of Amy's baking facilities as a loss to the market, which has become more of a food court for tourists than a supply stop for chefs over the years. 

"There's a cheesemonger now, and vegetable stand, seafood supplier, butcher shop, and liquor store, but losing the only bakery selling fresh-baked bread is a blow," he wrote.

"I'm really glad that Amy's Bread is not completely moving out of the city," Sietsema continued, considering a set of stale mini baguettes. "But a loaf baked a day ago in Long Island City is not the same as a loaf baked a few hours before right on the premises, by bakers you can watch."

(Photo Modified: Flickr/YusukeKawasaki)