Great bakers know that the best treats can’t be rushed, and Newberry Cafe & Bakery is proving that thesis with its upcoming Havre de Grace location. The Bel Air favorite is getting closer to opening its second location and bringing its modern approach to bakery favorites to the area dining scene.
Newberry Cafe & Bakery will be returning the smells and tastes of delicious baked goods to the 234 N Washington Street storefront that housed Goll’s Bakery for 92 years until its closure in 2023.
Newberry Cafe & Bakery owner Nichol Barbes kindly set aside some time to speak to What Now DC about the long process of bringing Newberry to Havre de Grace as well as offering a tasty glimpse at what the concept has in store for its new neighborhood.
She explains that she was approached by the building’s owner about bringing Newberry to the space. She says he “called me and said, ‘this space really needs a bakery, we have all this equipment here, would you like to open a new bakery here?’ 2 Christmases ago.”
While a fully equipped kitchen seemed like a good start, Barbes states that complications arose from a variety of sources. “Some of the equipment had to be taken out and some of the equipment is still good. In this process a couple of things happen. The town cobblestoned the road in front of the space and changed some of the water lines. So no work was really being done on the building. Since then, a lot of changes have been done in terms of making it ready for a new tenant.”
Barbes and the Newberry crew are currently enjoying some momentum. She states: “Now we should be starting construction here sometime soon. I’m ready to go whenever the building is ready.”
Barbes adds that the Havre de Grace location will closely echo the Bel Air storefront. It will be “Pretty much the same. The construction crew that I used for my Bel-Air location remodel will be doing the work so all very similar.”
Newberry Cafe & Bakery is more than up to the challenge of filling the void left by Goll’s. Barbes is dedicated to creating a community spot with a personal approach. She explains: “I try to be the neighborhood donut shop. I think we do a good job of knowing all of our customers. It’s a modern take on a bakery because we have more current things like lattes, donuts, breakfast sandwiches-not the traditional things that were at the neighborhood bakeries for 100 years, because those things aren’t necessarily wanted anymore. This is more current.”
Newberry Cafe & Bakery will have seating for around 20 visitors who want to enjoy their treats on site. Though a precise opening date is not available, Nichols anticipates being customer ready at some point next year.
