Bakesale Betty closes its Uptown location
By Paolo Lucchesi on September 6, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Bakesale Betty. Photo: The Chronicle
Bakesale Betty drastically cut hours exactly year ago, most dramatically on its second location in Oakland's Uptown neighborhood. Now that sequel is completely closed, as reported by Diablo's Ethan Fletcher.
Co-owner Michael Camp, who owns it with his wife Alison Barakat, tells Scoop they're going to sit on the space through the next few months, "waiting for the next fit of inspiration, be it from us or someone else."
Chicken sandwiches for days. Photo: The Chronicle
"It's a good corner," he says of the Broadway and Grand location. "The mistake we've made is we haven't made the opportunity accessible. We might be reshaping the presentation … we'll see what gives."
Going forward, there are a few possibilities for the space, which is nearly 6,000 square feet over two floors: incubating new opportunities, either for themselves or others. Or altogether putting the space on the market for a new taker. They still have five years left on the lease, but they only used a sliver of the space as Bakesale Betty, about 1,200 square feet of it.
In the meantime, hours are still limited at the original Temescal location, which remains open. These days, that location is opening at noon and closing by 1:30pm, five days a week (Tuesday through Saturday).
But even with those short hours — just 7.5 hours a week! — it stays very, very busy. They sell 360 to 500 fried chickens a day. Camp says the other day, they sold 300 in the 12 o'clock hour alone.
"We're looking for more than money," he says. "We're looking for inspiration, sustainably within the context of our business. We haven't found it by doing more."
Stay tuned for future updates on the prime Uptown space.
Bakesale Betty: 5098 Telegraph Ave, at 51st, Oakland; (510) 985-1213 or bakesalebetty.com
Bakesale Betty #2: 2228 Broadway, at Grand, Oakland