Lucille's Bakery, a neighborhood and farmers market stalwart for roughly a decade, closed earlier this month. (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
A neon-pink sign on the front door reads, "The Bakery has closed. Thank you for your support. It has been a great 10 years. —Gerry"
Gerald "Gerry" Fortin opened his Fan-area bakery after years as a farmers market staple; the pastry chef grew his passion to a 600-square-foot storefront at 2118 W. Cary St. roughly 10 years ago and, in fall of 2011, moved his bakery into the culinary boon sitting just off Broad Street. After more than a decade of wedding cakes, cookie trays, house-made granola bars, cupcakes, baguettes and pastries, the little bakery, breakfast and lunch spot last located at 719 N. Meadow St. has closed.
Fortin could not be reached for comment, but his Sept. 3 announcement on the bakery's Facebook page states the closure is permanent. The phone has been disconnected, the website taken down, the bakery's entry as a vendor removed from the Williamsburg Farmers Market — the local Saturday gathering where fans could find his goods weekly, and the site of Lucille's origin story.
"He actually got his start here," says Tracy Herner, manager of the Williamsburg Farmers Market. "His customers definitely miss him, and it's not a hole we're going to be able to fill anytime soon." Fortin, the pastry chef and owner of Lucille's, began selling baked goods at the market as William & Mary Bakery from 2005 until 2008, when he began vending as Lucille's Bakery, according to Herner. Around 2007, he opened his first brick-and-mortar location, in the Fan just east of Carytown.
"We have closed the Bakery for good, it's time to move on to other things," Fortin says on Facebook. "I want to thank everyone for their support for these past 10 years. We especially need to thank the Williamsburg Farmer's Market and all the wonderful patrons. Lamplighter Roasting Company, Willow Oaks CC, Country Club of Va, VMFA, Sticky Rice and Sticky togo, Citizen Restaurant. Thank you to all who came to our retail shop. It's been a great 10 years. I have met a lot of passionate people who love the food business. Best wishes to all."
Correction: This post originally incorrectly stated the first incarnation of Lucille's opened six years ago, and has been amended.
