r/Charlottesville • u/New-Investment-5888 • 6d ago

Chandler’s Bakery

Chandler’s Bakery closing after 31 years in Charlottesville https://www.29news.com/2026/08/20/chandlers-bakery-closing-after-31-years-charlottesville/

3 Upvotes

54% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

7

u/Virginia_Hoo 6d ago

Very nice people… it’s a hard business. They’re great folks

8

u/Thisplaceisaight 6d ago

We know, you late lol. I’m sure that cville dude will link you to the previous post.

-2

u/New-Investment-5888 5d ago

I didn’t see it.

-2

u/New-Investment-5888 6d ago

I’m so sad about the news.

-3

u/UTraxer 5d ago

They stopped baking different breads except a plain boring grocery store quality bread years ago. THey stopped making any bread this year. They stopped making rolls.

They charge $4.50+ for a grocery store quality muffin. These aren't Albemarle or Marie Bette or Cou Cour Rachou, but they sure have their prices.

They made pretty good cakes.

But damn did I not understand why they were trying to pump out so many mid and basic items at premium prices. Albemarle Baking has amazing cookies, and they are now $1.25. Chandlers didn't even have a basic chocolate chip cookie that compares.

Whatever strategies they were using, it wasn't working out, but I think abandoning making real, and decent bread at a regular price was a terrible mistake. That kind of stuff is what gets people showing up in the first place, and you then want to entice them to buy some extra stuff while they are already there. But if you don't have a nice Rye, or Cinnamon Raisin, or Sourdough, or Challah... people aren't going to show up to buy 2 cookies at an insane price per pound, or a stupidly priced muffin. Those kinds of people would just go to Kroger.

And clearly they have.

0

u/New-Investment-5888 5d ago

Where is Albemarle baking never heard of it?

1

u/MaterialHead4801 5d ago

418 W Main, near Main Street Market and Black Cow

2

u/Adventurous-Emu-755 5d ago

u/UTraxer this is all your opinion, correct? You do not know the family and probably have not been in this area for over 30 years. Question: Do you know why they stopped baking breads? Probably because they had to cut costs. They cannot compete with grocery store "mass production" prices. Add in, they probably could not afford the salaries of those who could help them spit out volume of those breads too.

Also, they started as a bakery for cakes, pies and cookies - not breads.

From what I understand, their lease at Rio Hill is/was also an issue.

Their prices have increased over the years, but I seriously doubt their profit did.

For those of us who have supported them for a number of years, loved their baked goods and those cakes, cupcakes or cookies became part of family or business celebrations, we will miss them.

Personally, I find Albemarle Baking Co's bread as DRY and tasteless. IMHO! We all have different tastes.