It’s the end of an era for a Baltimore family business.Herman’s Bakery is closing on March 31 after 103 years in business in the Baltimore area. “Recently, a number of the family members have been stricken with illnesses,” said Harry Herman Jr., who now owns the bakery. “Some of them are getting a little older as time goes on, so we, as a family business, made a decision that it was probably best for us to close so as to not have our reputation maybe tarnished over time.”Herman’s grandparents first opened the bakery in Highlandtown in 1923. Over the years, the Herman family opened several more locations when Harry Herman Sr. took over the business, including the Dundalk location.”I was 9 years old, and we opened this location on Dec. 5, 1958, and I got the day off from school so I could be here,” Harry Herman Jr. told WBAL-TV 11 News.The Dundalk location is now the last location standing. Harry Herman Jr. told WBAL-TV 11 News.Harry Herman Jr. credits his sister, his niece and other family members for helping keep the business alive for so long. Since announcing the impending closure Tuesday afternoon on Facebook, the bakery has received an outpouring of support.”It just went on Facebook yesterday afternoon around 4:30, and that’s when the phone started going crazy and customers started coming in off the street, and some are coming from a distance,” Harry Herman Jr. told WBAL-TV 11 News. “The same thing happened first thing this morning when we opened. We really were not prepared for that kind of response.” The bakery is seeing lines of customers who want to say goodbye and have their favorite sweet treats one last time.”I’ve known about this place since I was a little girl,” Margaret Franklin told WBAL-TV 11 News.”It’s a staple. I came today to get a strawberry shortcake to show my support,” another customer said. Chris Dipasqua came from Cambridge on the Eastern Shore to visit the bakery on Wednesday.”I used to come here when I was a kid on Saturdays and Sundays, and when I heard on WBAL that it was closing, it was worth a trip of 80 miles up from the Eastern Shore just to see this place one last time,” Dipasqua told WBAL-TV 11 News.While Herman’s Bakery is known for its special desserts — like the strawberry shortcake, fudge-top cookies and marshmallow donuts — it’s also known for helping people create special memories.”We are very famous for our decorated cakes and cakes for special occasions. So, we have customers that probably are going into the fifth generation of having wedding cakes done by us, birthday cakes, and they are coming in now as we close and reminiscing about how they originally patronized Herman’s Bakery so many years ago,” Harry Herman Jr. told WBAL-TV 11 News. “There’s a lot of pride that goes into it.”
It’s the end of an era for a Baltimore family business.
Herman’s Bakery is closing on March 31 after 103 years in business in the Baltimore area.
“Recently, a number of the family members have been stricken with illnesses,” said Harry Herman Jr., who now owns the bakery. “Some of them are getting a little older as time goes on, so we, as a family business, made a decision that it was probably best for us to close so as to not have our reputation maybe tarnished over time.”
Herman’s grandparents first opened the bakery in Highlandtown in 1923. Over the years, the Herman family opened several more locations when Harry Herman Sr. took over the business, including the Dundalk location.
“I was 9 years old, and we opened this location on Dec. 5, 1958, and I got the day off from school so I could be here,” Harry Herman Jr. told WBAL-TV 11 News.
The Dundalk location is now the last location standing. Harry Herman Jr. told WBAL-TV 11 News.
Harry Herman Jr. credits his sister, his niece and other family members for helping keep the business alive for so long.
Since announcing the impending closure Tuesday afternoon on Facebook, the bakery has received an outpouring of support.
“It just went on Facebook yesterday afternoon around 4:30, and that’s when the phone started going crazy and customers started coming in off the street, and some are coming from a distance,” Harry Herman Jr. told WBAL-TV 11 News. “The same thing happened first thing this morning when we opened. We really were not prepared for that kind of response.”
The bakery is seeing lines of customers who want to say goodbye and have their favorite sweet treats one last time.
“I’ve known about this place since I was a little girl,” Margaret Franklin told WBAL-TV 11 News.
“It’s a staple. I came today to get a strawberry shortcake to show my support,” another customer said.
Chris Dipasqua came from Cambridge on the Eastern Shore to visit the bakery on Wednesday.
“I used to come here when I was a kid on Saturdays and Sundays, and when I heard on WBAL that it was closing, it was worth a trip of 80 miles up from the Eastern Shore just to see this place one last time,” Dipasqua told WBAL-TV 11 News.
While Herman’s Bakery is known for its special desserts — like the strawberry shortcake, fudge-top cookies and marshmallow donuts — it’s also known for helping people create special memories.
“We are very famous for our decorated cakes and cakes for special occasions. So, we have customers that probably are going into the fifth generation of having wedding cakes done by us, birthday cakes, and they are coming in now as we close and reminiscing about how they originally patronized Herman’s Bakery so many years ago,” Harry Herman Jr. told WBAL-TV 11 News. “There’s a lot of pride that goes into it.”
