Honey Bear closes doors
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After months of speculation about its fate, and hand-wringing by patrons, the Honey Bear Bakery in Seattle's Green Lake neighborhood has closed.
The beloved 15-year-old bakery shut its doors for the last time Monday night. A sign announcing a remodel of the 90-year-old building that houses it has been in the window since October.
"The lease expired two weeks ago and we did not feel we could put together a lease with the owner that would suit our needs," said Peter Levy, part of the management team that runs the bakery. "It's been an emotional roller coaster."
Discussions with the building owner, David Sucher, who wants to develop the structure into offices and housing, broke down Friday, said Levy. Honey Bear managers and its owner, Ronald Sher, did not feel they had the time to upgrade the business the way they had wanted.
Eighteen employees, who only learned of the closure Monday, are looking for new work.
Bakery fixtures will be sold or put into storage, and the familiar bear statue out front will be moved to the other Honey Bear Bakery at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park.
Levy said he and the others will keep their eyes open for another suitable building.