Santa Monica just got a lot less delicious.
Vienna Bakery — a family owned and operated staple on Wilshire Boulevard for more than 65 years — has been forced out of business.
Owner Fred Khadavi says his landlord is seeking to raise the rent by $5000 per month which makes it impossible to continue.
Business has tanked by as much as 60 percent since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic as hotels have canceled orders and special events like weddings have been forced online.
“People still come in person but they buy a much smaller amount instead of buying for bigger events,” Khadavi tells The Sun. “With the same expenses and so much less business we can’t survive. We owe a lot of money.”
“Lots of our customers love this bakery. When they found out that there is a possibility we will close some of them cried. Some people are actually panicking ‘oh where am I going to buy my cakes for my son’s birthday’. It’s really nice to see that kind of support; we appreciate it so much and that’s giving us the energy to keep trying.”
The bakery first opened at 1215 Wilshire Boulevard in 1957. It was taken over by the Khadavi family in 1988, after they came to America as refugees fleeing the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
For 65 years the store has remained as resilient as its owners, operating as a true mom-and-pop with three sisters running the baking and multiple generations lending a hand at the shop.
Family friends of the bakery have organized a GoFundMe to try to raise $50,000 to cover the store’s back rent.
As of January 21, members of the community have pledged nearly $8,379.
