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The Valley Bakery to stay open; new management on the way

The decades-old bakery was set to close earlier this month

Author

Ria Renouf
August 20, 2023

Jack Kuyer, second from the right, will hand off The Valley Bakery to new management on Aug. 25. Mayor Mike Hurley (to the right of Kuyer) and other members of council were at the shop on Saturday, Aug. 20 to wish Kuyer well. 📸: Coun. Pietro Calendino.

It turns out The Valley Bakery—located just off Hastings St. and Gilmore Ave.—will not be closing this month—instead, it’ll be getting new management.

The news comes as a farewell event was held for longtime owner Jack Kuyer on Saturday. Kuyer previously announced his retirement.

“Jack and the bakery are an institution and people from all over the Lower Mainland have been coming to Valley Bakery to order birthday or anniversary cakes while stocking up on breads and other mouth watering pastries,” said Burnaby Coun. Pietro Calendino in a Facebook post shared to his page on Saturday, Aug. 19—the final day Kuyer was in charge.

Earlier this week, a photo was sent to the Burnaby Beacon flagging the new note in the window, announcing the change of plans.

“Good news to all our customers! Valley Bakery will continue to operate under new management starting Friday, August 25,” the sign reads. “We hope you will continue to support us. From the new management of Valley Bakery.”

Customers had been flooding the bakery over the last few weeks, trying to get in their final cookies, breads, and strudels before the bakery’s scheduled closure on Friday, Aug. 19.

It was so busy that at one point the shop’s debit machines went down, and they were only accepting cash.

Customers check out the selection of cookies and other baked goods at The Valley Bakery on Aug. 5, 2023.

The Valley Bakery has been in the city for more than 60 years, and boasts a massive selection of cookies, cakes, and petit fours—to name a few. Their European-style baked goods have won a spate of awards, with all of its baked goods made from scratch and on-site.

The Bakery is also known for its giving back, donating cakes to local schools and not-for-profits, like the Burnaby Neighbourhood House Food Hub.