Bee-bell closes shop to retail customers

Bee-Bell Health Bakery is shutting its doors in Old Strathcona on June 15.

Co-owner Gary Huising says customer numbers have been dwindling, but sales dropped significantly about 18 months ago when Bee-Bell lost the contract to sell baked goods at 40 locations of The Second Cup in Edmonton.

Huising says some of Bee-Bell’s breads will be produced and sold wholesale through Sunrise Bakery in Edmonton’s west end, which is also owned by Huising and other partners. Bee-Bell’s most popular breads, including white, whole-wheat and seven-grain bread, will be sold at two No Frills outlets, one located in the strip mall across the street from Bee-Bell, and the other in the west end at Stony Plain Road and 157th Street.

Bee-Bell has been at 10415 80th Ave. in an 8,900square-foot brick building since 1995. Before that, it was located for 39 years on 103rd street. The bakery building is listed for sale at $3.5 million with Colliers International.

“If someone wants to buy it, we could sell the name because it has a very good reputation,” Huising says.