Mount Prospect bakery displaced by devastating fire comes home
The Central Continental Bakery and its employees have come home.
That's how owner Robert Czerniak phrased it when he talked about the bakery's reopening this week at 101 S. Main St. in downtown Mount Prospect.
"It feels great," he said. "We're back where we belong, and we plan to stay here for a long time."
The bakery reopened at its old location Monday. Czerniak said formal grand-opening events are planned for next week.
Central Continental Bakery had to move into temporary quarters after a Feb. 9 fire destroyed the building right next door. Lost in that fire were Sakura Japanese Restaurant, some residences and the offices for Picket Fence Realty and the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce. (Both Picket Fence Realty and the chamber have since found new locations.)
The bakery building survived, but suffered significant water damage as a result of the firefighting effort. Mount Prospect leaders allowed Czerniak to operate the bakery out of village hall immediately after the fire, then he moved the business to 17 W. Prospect Ave., just a short walk south of the Main Street site.
"It was a great temporary location, it had everything we needed," Czerniak said. "But I always knew I wanted to come back here."
The reopened Central Continental Bakery offers all the cakes, cookies and pastries it's known for, in a slightly revamped space.
"It's gotten a face-lift," Czerniak said, pointing out the new counters, new shelves and brighter decor. The one major change is the addition of coffee service, he said.
"We grind and serve our own coffee now. It's great because you get that wonderful coffee smell early in the morning," he said.
The reopening happens as the family-owned bakery is about to reach its 36th anniversary. Grand-opening activities will be held next weekend, Sept. 19, 20 and 21, to celebrate both milestones. Go to centralcontinentalbakery.com for details.
Czerniak said that as happy as he is to be in his old location, he realizes that the other affected businesses weren't so lucky.
"The fire was terrible, and I feel lucky that we were able to come back," he said. "We can't wait to see all our old customers again."