Premier SoCal Gluten-Free Bakery Breadblok Closes its Doors

Celiac.com 05/18/2023 - In what is doubtless sad news for gluten-free bread and bakery lovers, Beadblok, one of the premier gluten-free bakeries in Southern California, has abruptly closed all its locations. 

The closure comes after years of dedicated work by the Charlier family, who sought to bring high-quality gluten-free goods to the SoCal region. 

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The bakery opened its first location in Santa Monica in February 2020, and quickly gained popularity for its modern interiors, sleek display cases, and gluten-free croissants that looked exactly like the traditional variety. 

Breadblok embarked on a rapid expansion, opening four locations within three years to compete with popular gluten-free bakeries. However, the pandemic proved difficult for the business to navigate. As the pandemic marched on, Breadblok faced challenges due to LA's byzantine permit and inspection process.
 
Breadblok’s prices reflected those realities, along with their practice of sourcing ingredients from farmers and vendors that used no additives, preservatives, refined sugars, gum, or soy. Moreover, Breadblok utilized plastic-free containers and paid employees above market wages.

While the closure is unfortunate, the Charlier family's efforts to bring gluten-free goods to the SoCal region have not gone unnoticed. Customers avoiding gluten are still loyal to Breadblok, but its $9 croissants proved to be a hard sell. 

While Konbi, another restaurant operator in the region, managed to maneuver into pop-ups, Breadblok's owners stated that they would not set up at regional farmers markets or any pop-up venues. 

Breadblok's closure serves as a reminder of the high demand for quality gluten-free baked goods, and also of the challenges that small businesses face during a pandemic and their reliance on strong community support.

• Read the company post on Instagram

Read more in la.eater.com