On Sunday, April 12, Gather – the friendly, family-owned bakery at 1100 E. Oklahoma Ave. in Bay View – will sell its last ham and rolls. Last Monday, the bakery announced via social media that it is closing, “not by choice” but because of a mechanical failure that “rendered our space inoperable for bakery operations.”
Co-owner Brittany Wohlfeil explained the “circumstances beyond our control” in a phone call. She says they tried to resolve the problem with their landlord, from whom they rent the equipment, but were unable to come to an agreement. She called the mechanical failure “pretty major” and “a key component that powers our ovens and our proofer.” She added, “Without those things, we can’t bake.”
Wohlfeil opened the Bay View bakery with her sister/business partner Kasey Gusho in 2024 as Batter & Mac, before rebranding it as Gather Bakehouse one year later after Gusho left the business.
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The extra sad part about this news is that just six months ago, Wohlfeil had closed the flagship Batter & Mac location in Menomonee Falls – which had opened in 2021 – to focus on the newer Bay View business. Gather has grown a following for its macarons, cakes, breads and the Sunday ham and rolls.
When Wohlfeil moved into 1100 E. Oklahoma Ave., her business was carrying on the tradition of bakeries in that space, which was formerly the home of Lakeside Bakery and before that, Canfora Bakery.
All of this week, the baking staff has been trying to keep the shelves stocked with customer favorites. And because they’re hoping to use up ingredients, they’ve also been making new things – “things that never really got their moment. Menu ideas we were just starting to dial in,” read a later post on Gather’s Facebook page.
There are no concrete plans to reopen Gather Bakehouse somewhere else, but is it gone for good? Wohlfeil isn’t sure.
“I can’t imagine my life without this in it in some way,” she says. “Everything we’ve done. We have our community fund, we’re still giving free bread to SNAP recipients. All of that stuff really matters to me, and it’s been so special to be part of people’s traditions.”
Gather’s hours are 7 a.m.-3 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
