Vienna pastry shop9/15/2023 Had I known then that Demel was the drawing room of Vienna's high society and that the staff had a reputation for ignoring those who didn't fit the mold, I might have packed a sport coat. Most of the men in the dining room wore suits, and many of the women donned pearls. It dawned on me that, in my jeans and leather jacket, I wasn't exactly dressed for the occasion. I stood there, agog, until I started to wonder why none of the black-clad hostesses were offering me a seat. For every familiar dessert there was an unfamiliar one, covered in buttercream, meringue, marzipan, or chocolate glaze, as well as trays of cream-filled buns and puff pastries. In 1988, the Khadavi family took the helm of the bakery after fleeing the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Vienna Pastry (1215 Wilshire Blvd) for 65 years has been making pastries, pies and sweets enjoyed by generations of Santa Monica residents. But nothing could have prepared me for the sensory overload of encountering all the Viennese classics-dense chocolate sachertortes, jam-filled linzertortes, strudels wrapped in papery-thin pastry, pastel-frosted petits fours, and more-housed inside gleaming glass cases trimmed with polished brass and wood. A beloved 65-year-old Santa Monica bakery is on the brink of shutting down. They have tried multiple times to apply for a Small Business Association loan through the COVID-19 relief program but have yet to receive any money.For a few years leading up to that trip, I had devoured every mention of Demel in glossy food and travel magazines. What the owners hope for most of all is government relief. Negotiations with the landlord have yielded no compromise so far. Prior to the pandemic their landlord had discussed raising the rent by $5000 to cover upgrades to the building, and despite the subsequent and ongoing economic turmoil he wishes to proceed with the price increase, according to Khadavi.Īs the bakery is already behind its current rent, owners say there is no way they can pay an increased rent. It’s really nice to see that kind of support we appreciate it so much and that’s giving us the energy to keep trying.”įamily friends of the bakery have organized a GoFundMe to try to raise $50,000 to cover the store’s back rent. “Some people are actually panicking ‘oh where am I going to buy my cakes for my son’s birthday’. When they found out that there is a possibility we will close some of them cried,” said Khadavi. We take pride in our preservative-free pastries. They are also doubling down on their social media outreach and appealing to their loyal customer base. Our authentically European bakery, nestled in a beautiful garden setting, is located in the heart of town. They plan on expanding their offerings to include vegan pastries and more healthy treats to try and attract new shoppers. But, the family isn’t ready to give up yet.įacing what they know may be a losing battle, the bakery team is keeping the store’s doors open for now. The Cake Tree near the Prater is a coffee and pastry shop with an Irish influence. The precipitous drop in demand coupled with the landlord’s desire to raise rent has made continuing operations untenable. I think we have to close it soon, because we owe a lot of money.” “With the same expenses and so much less business we can’t survive. “People still come in person but they buy a much smaller amount instead of buying for bigger events,” said Khadavi. With no banquets, weddings, or parties to cater to and all hotels canceling their pastry orders, the bakery is only running at 40 percent of its usual business, according to owner Fred Khadavi. The bakery has been a staple in Santa Monica since 1957 and was taken over by the Khadavi family in 1988, after they came to America as refugees fleeing the Islamic Revolution in Iran.įor 65 years the store has remained as resilient as its owners, operating as a true mom-and-pop with three sisters running the baking and multiple generations lending a hand at the shop.Īt the beginning of 2020 business was still flourishing, but the pandemic put everything at risk. 150 reviews 7 of 117 Restaurants in Vienna British Australian New Zealand. As the pandemic wears on, so does the strain on local businesses and the owners of the Vienna Pastry fear their business will not make it to the finish line.
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