University Village bakery and taqueria close doors

After 23 years, A La Francaise bakery at University Village closed Saturday.

A La Francaise, which started in Seattle in 1980, was purchased by the Sara Lee Corp. in 1999. Its Kent-based bakery will continue making A La Francaise artisan breads and seasonal specialties — including its popular cranberry wreaths and teddy-bear-shaped breads — for local grocery stores, said Sara Lee spokesman Matt Hall. (The University Village location was the only local retail outlet for A La Francaise.)

The bakery's lease was up and the company couldn't negotiate a mutually acceptable new one, he said.

The mall will soon add a bakery in the spot where Eddie Bauer Home used to be, a University Village spokeswoman said. U Village will announce the new bakery soon, she said.

A nonfood retailer will move into the A La Francaise location.

Also

Crown Hill fixture Burrito Loco's University Village outlet closed its doors on Jan. 8. "Our [five-year] lease expired and they didn't want to renew," said owner Anabel Sahagun. "It was a big loss for us," said Sahagun, who hopes to relocate the taqueria.

Seattle Times staff