By Jennifer Farnsworth
The Bread Basket Bakery is under new ownership as of July.
As Bread Basket Bakery founder Joan Tallman enters retirement, Ed and Lisa Mitzen, the bakery’s new owners, purchased the business and pledged to keep the bakery a Saratoga mainstay the same, according to marketing director Pascal Salvatore.
The Mitzens own Fingerpaint, a prosperous marketing company in Saratoga Springs.
Salvatore said the building has undergone some minor updates and renovations, but “everything is still the same on the menu. Everything is still the way Joan made it.”
Updates to the bakery included new floors, coolers, updated display cases and fresh paint.
“We removed some drywall and found some amazing windows that we were able to uncover. It’s a building from 1933 and we want to really preserve that historic feel,” said Salvatore.
Tallman’s son, Matt, remains as the bakery’s general manager.
An important aspect of the business, Pascal said, is the commitment that the Mitzen family has made to fighting hunger and food insecurity in the community. The bakery has a mission of donating its profits to charity. The Mitzen family alreeady presented a check for $25,000 to Capital Roots, a Troy-based nonprofit focused on public health.
“The Mitzens decided that all the bakery’s profits will be donated monthly or quarterly to charities focused on fighting hunger and food insecurity,” said Salvatore.
The Bread Basket Bakery has been selling baked goods, soups, and sandwiches for over 30 years.
“Just the other day we had a dad come in with a student at Skidmore. He remembered coming in when he was a Skidmore student, so we are seeing generations come in. The bakery has a very loyal base,” said Salvatore.
The Bread Basket Bakery is located at 65 Spring St., Saratoga Springs. The phone number is (518) 587-4233.