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BEREA, Ohio – For generations of locals, a stop at Dick’s Bakery has meant the same comforting ritual: a friendly hello, a case full of classics, and the signature date-and-nut cake that’s become synonymous with downtown Berea.
Now, the Baker family is sharing a heartfelt update with the community. After more than seven decades of baking and serving customers, the current owners say they are stepping back due to ongoing health issues—and they’re hoping a transition to new ownership will allow the bakery’s legacy to continue.
In a message to supporters, the owners wrote that they have been “grateful to spread Date-Nut cheer for over 70 years,” but that as they reach their late 60s, health challenges have made it impossible to continue operating on their own. They added that new owners are already in place and have been training with them, and that the bakery is waiting to reopen as the sale process moves forward.
A Lifetime of Memories
The announcement has sparked a wave of nostalgia from customers who have frequented the bakery since its early days at the original Bellaire location. For many, Dick’s Bakery isn’t just a shop; it is a repository of family history.
One customer recalled how her grandmother worked for the original Mr. Baker at the old shop, noting that the date-nut cake remained her favorite until she passed away this year at nearly 100 years old. Others shared stories of childhood visits after school, where a kind employee might “slide a free cookie for the road,” a tradition those same customers now share with their own children.
The bakery’s impact spans decades of milestones, with one long-time patron noting they purchased their sister’s wedding cake at Dick’s back in 1970. “It’s not a birthday without a date nut cake or chocolate chip cookies,” another fan shared, echoing the sentiment of a community that views the bakery’s secret recipes as a vital part of their celebrations.
What Happens Next
According to the family’s message, new owners have been training with them, and the plan is for the sale to go through so Dick’s Bakery can continue. The owners emphasized that they are waiting to reopen because they “simply cannot continue” on their own anymore, and thanked the community for years of support.
For customers, the news lands in two ways at once: a bittersweet goodbye to familiar faces, and cautious optimism that the bakery’s recipes—and its place in downtown Berea—won’t disappear. As one customer put it, the hope is that the new owners keep the “secret recipes, prices, and personality” that have defined the business for over 70 years.