OUTSTANDING BAKER OR DESSERT PROFESSIONAL: Kevin and Melissa Gardner
Kevin and Melissa Gardner, Five Points Bakery
44 Brayton Street, Buffalo, NY 14213
Kevin and Melissa Gardner first met on Buffalo’s West Side 20 years ago. They eventually married and later opened Five Points Bakery five blocks from that spot. Since 2009, their business has anchored the transformation of the former West Side drug corner. The Gardners’ bakery has evolved naturally over time; they let customers shape the place. What began with a few signature loaves and treats grew over the years. Kevin bakes all the breads, including the bakery’s signature breads (like apple cider bread and extra sharp cheddar bread) as well as more traditional loaves (like Vollkornbrot and ciabatta). Melissa’s signature cinnamon rolls and apple cake grew to include customer favorites like laminated pastries.
Breakfast sandwiches and seven-day service followed by popular demand as they redeveloped a former neighborhood eyesore into a busy third space that increased property values in neighboring blocks. Five Points Bakery’s breads, sweets and deliciously elaborate toast platters mean there’s almost always a line, but it moves. That’s because there’s always ownership on the floor, including the four Gardner children. In good weather, many take their food outside to dine in a pocket park the Gardners created by investing about $300,000; live jazz plays on Saturdays, and dozens of community events are often free and open to anyone. Surplus product goes to an East Side food pantry, and the bakery’s staff of 20 receive paid vacation after a year, a 401(k), extra pay for busy weekends/being called in and very handsome year-end bonuses.
