Lauck's Bakery closes Tower location
The Tower District location of Lauck’s Bakery closed Saturday, bringing an end to 69 years of beerocks, gooey chocolate and caramel cookies and birthday cakes.
Owner Darrel Davis told The Bee in December that he planned to close the Olive Avenue bakery in coming months due to rent issues.
The Bullard Avenue and Figarden Drive location will remain open, with plans to expand and begin serving light lunches.
More details about the closure will be in Tuesday’s business section.
Davis said he knows Fresnans have plenty of memories associated with the green-and-white building. He has black-and-white photos of men in white paper bakers’ hats, and women in identical uniforms with crisp white skirts.
Do you have any memories of Lauck’s to share?
Comments:
Man, what a shock! I have known this place nearly my entire life. I couldn't believe it when I heard they were closing this location after SO MANY YEARS!!
My family moved to Fresno from Michigan in 1960, when I was only 5 years old. At that time--and for the next 10-15 years that I recall--the Tower District was one of the truly THRIVING hubs of social and business activity in town. (Much the way River Park would be considered now, but with way more interesting architecture and tons more charm!!)
Along with the Tower Theater itself, the Chicken Pie Shop, Mayfair Market (now the Dollar Store) and the old Carnation Restaurant (now The Landmark), Lauck's Bakery was always one of the true pillars of that activity, that scene; a place that everyone I know has always had such fond memories of.
Personally, I think Fresno generally has shown too little regard for its wonderful history. Landmarks change hands or are demolished, with a hardly a second thought sometimes, or so it seems. So this time I decided to take at least a little action on the subject and was able to rescue the old original Lauck's sign...before it met some tragic, unsentimental fate like getting painted over or discarded!
I would love to see it go to a museum, or at least to a true collector of Fresno memorabilia & history so it will be loved and cherished for years to come. If you know anyone who may be interested in acquiring the old Lauck's sign please call me at (818) 859-0754.
Best,
Tim Robbins
Posted by: Tim Robbins at June 1, 2008 4:47 PM
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