Gnome Bakers: Unusual Bread and Rolls in New York City

There once was a place in New York City. It served “unusual bread and rolls.” And it was run by gnomes.

gnomebakers

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.

20091112_gnomebakers_250x375

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!

gnomebakery

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

5 thoughts on “Gnome Bakers: Unusual Bread and Rolls in New York City

  1. 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.

Leave a Reply to Tom Stork Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

301 Moved Permanently

Moved Permanently

The document has moved here.