Like the proverbial phoenix, Penticton's acclaimed Walla Artisan Bakery will seemingly rise again.
Walla, with a fervent fan base and crazy high scores at consumer review sites such as TripAdvisor, has hit upon critically hard times as of late.
Its co-owner and head baker Ben Manea – the wizard who creates and bakes Walla's celebrated bread – was diagnosed in early 2018 with ALS. And his wife and fellow co-owner Sharon Wiener found it increasingly difficult to run the bakery while looking after her ailing husband and trying to find a potential buyer.
Accordingly, the business has been on the verge of closure for much of the past few months. Indeed, it appeared to have closed for good in early March.
Even a last-minute meeting organized by dedicated Walla patron Roger Mutimer four weeks ago couldn't stem the tide. And the doors have been shuttered ever since.
But last Tuesday there were apparent signs of life. According to a "Walla Foods" Facebook posting dated March 26 , "Walla is re-opening soon (details to follow). We are hiring part-time employees to work in the bakery in The Cannery. Seniors please apply."
On Sunday, there was this email: "Walla will be open this coming week from Wednesday to Friday following a slight change in management. There will be Jewish Ryes every day this week, and also some of our wonderful desserts, including a new batch of Flourless Chocolate Cakes that consists entirely of 74% Dark Belgian Chocolate. More of your favourite products will be available in the coming weeks. We’ll continue sending emails every week to keep you updated."
The email goes on to say that orders may be placed by contacting "Sharon Morevec" at [email protected]. Upcoming hours are listed as 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.
NowMedia reached out to Sharon Wiener late Sunday and she confirmed that Walla is once again in business.
"Sharon Moravec has taken over the daily running of Walla for now," she said, "with two people in baking production. Ben will be there from time to time to train or help people as he’s able."
"We’re still hoping for a permanent, long-term solution that would allow Walla to remain open in Penticton while expanding bread sales to other markets. You never know."
Four weeks ago, it looked like it was over. Today, there's renewed life. The reasoning may be a wee bit cryptic and the permanence unsure, but it's most definitely a good day for the many Walla faithful.
Walla Artisan Bakery is located inside the Cannery Trade Centre at 1475 Fairview Road.
