After 39 years, Palo Alto’s Prolific Oven is closing
Two other locations to shut down, as well; labor shortages and costs to blame, owners say
You’ve got only a few days left to order one of the Prolific Oven’s rich Chocolate on Chocolate cakes or the moist Carrot Cake with the rum-kissed cream cheese frosting.
The Bay Area’s labor shortage and the high costs of doing business here are forcing Palo Alto’s highly regarded bakery cafe to shut down operations after 39 years.
“Our refusal to lower our quality and standards has resulted in an unsustainable business model in Silicon Valley,” the owners, the Chan family, posted on the bakery’s website.
“We just don’t see it getting any better,” Regina Chan told Palo Alto Online, adding that “we wanted to pull the plug” rather than start cutting corners on the quality of their baked goods.
The company’s two newer bakery-cafes — in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale — also will close. The last day in Santa Clara will be this Saturday, Aug. 24; the last day for the Palo Alto and Sunnyvale locations will be Aug. 31. The Sunnyvale bakery had opened just four years ago, in 2015. A Fremont location had previously shut down.
Founded by original owner Harriet Spier in 1980 on Palo Alto’s Waverley Street, the family operated Prolific Oven bakeries quickly became known for their buttery croissants, pastries and decadent cakes — including the marzipan-draped Swedish Princess Cake, the Kahlua Mocha Cream and the chocolate-iced white cake known as a Lady Baltimore.
The Chans expanded the operation to include sandwiches, salads and other lunch and dinner fare.
Public sentiment over the closing has been overwhelming, the family said Tuesday on their Facebook page, which contained scores of appreciative comments and thank-yous.
“Your unforgettable 3-layer wedding cake in 1982 and innumerable birthday cakes for every family member ever since you opened … a Prolific Oven cake has been the standard of excellence (and the ultimate joyful decadence),” longtime customer Nanette Stringer posted. “We are so very sad to lose you but also so very grateful for your having been in our lives.”
Another veteran restaurant, Hobee’s, posted: “Thanks for making Silicon Valley a sweeter place! We have served many pieces of your amazing carrot cake throughout the years. You should be very proud of your long, successful run!”
The Chans said that because of an “unprecedented influx of orders,” their baking facility is working 18-hour days. For this final run, they will be able to bake only their most popular cakes: Chocolate on Chocolate, Chocolate Rum, Chocolate Mocha and Carrot Cake.
Over the four decades, the Prolific Oven’s owners had prided themselves on using only high-quality ingredients for their baked goods: “Real butter, true vanilla extract, gourmet chocolate, flours and sugars. Each item always made inhouse, from scratch, without any preservatives, artificial flavors or artificial colors. No cutcorners.”
But in recent years that pledge became more challenging. In 2017, the family posted a note that said “Help Us Keep Our Quality Elevated” and implored customers to place their orders at least two days in advance to ensure high quality and freshness.
Chan attributed this month’s decision to a tight labor market that’s been made worse by Silicon Valley companies hiring bakers and cooks for their high-tech campuses, along with the rising cost of ingredients.
“We used to (get) tons of applications for kids in high school, kids just graduating from school, kids in college who wanted a part-time job,” she told Palo Alto Online. “We aren’t getting those applications anymore.”
Details: The three locations closing are at 550 Waverley St., Palo Alto; 3938 Rivermark Plaza in Santa Clara; and 259 W. Washington Ave., Sunnyvale. prolificoven.com