There once was a place in New York City. It served “unusual bread and rolls.” And it was run by gnomes.
Never mind how “unusual” bread products could really, honestly be. You just never mind that.
According to to Ephemeral New York, this ad was part of a 1973 New York Mets program.
But the story doesn’t stop there. Apparently there was ANOTHER Gnome Bakers location documented 40 years earlier.
According to New York Times photographer, Fred R Conrad, 316 East 59th Street was home to Gnome Bakers. The bakery owners designed the front of the building to look like the sort of place where tiny gnomes would be mixing up baked goods. Although the picture doesn’t do it justice, a giant bearded gnome once rested against the chimney munching on a piece of bread.
Today 316 East 59th Street is home to a chiropractor’s office. Lame.
Curbed corroborated the story and revealed that the giant munching gnome and the Gnome Bakers simply disappeared from the premises after they went bankrupt in the early 1930s.
And they found an awesome photo of the giant gnome perched atop the bakery building!
But all this research has led me to more questions than answers.
Who WERE the gnome bakers?
Where did they go in the early 30s?
What ever became of the giant munching gnome?
And what exactly did make gnome bread SO unusual?
I would have loved to be alive in the 30s, if for nothing else, to visit this amazing-looking bakery. So Gnome Bakers, if you’re out there reading this…come back! I’m sure New York would welcome you with open arms and a fresh bag of flour.
Gnome bread forever.
xoxo,
Ramon LeBeef the Gnome
Gnome Bakers was purchased by Frank Ferndez (my Father)in 30s or 40s. He shifted focus to institutional customers. Wholesale. It was sold to Fink Bakeries after his death in 1971
Thanks so much for reaching out to us wee ones with an update. We absolutely LOVE learning about gnome-themed businesses and supporting & promoting them whenever we can!
Cheers!
The Drunk Gnome
Hi your father and mine were nextdoor neighbors on Beaver Dam Rd. I remember him to be a fine man. We used to fly fish right outside his house.
Hi. We’re you called Leon?
Hello Richard. How might I contact you? My name is cristina and Frank was my dad.you may remember me as a little girls. I loved the house on beaver dam road. My email: nassimaflute@gmail dot com
Eliot: My dad (Stanley) was a baker at the for years at the East 65th st, Gnome Bakery and later at Fink when Gnome closed.
Have a look to the link http://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/26/realestate/streetscapes-316-east-59th-street-new-role-for-gnomes-home.html
Love this gnome bakery. Thanks for sharing!
My dad worked for Gnome Bakers in New York City for many years. Mr. Fernadez was his boss. My father was Otto Weber, and he worked at night and slept during the day to provide for his family. We even lived in an apartment on 83rd Street in Manhattan for several years that I believe was owned by Mr. Fernandez. The office manager of Gnome Bakers gave me my first summer job. When my dad asked about a job for e, he was asked if I was skinny or heavy because the office was on the second floor above the bakery and he said “the floors aren’t very sturdy.” We sometimes would visit: Daddy” at night and I loved everything about that bakery. I bake bread now at home and my dad’s spirit is with me as an I bake. Did I mention he invented brown-and-serve rolls??? Oh, the Fernandez family gave my husband and me a wedding gift iliSept 1963 It was a 6-piece silver liqueur set from Tiffany’s. We still have it.