Five Points Bakery opened its doors in 2009 on Buffalo’s West Side. Named not only for the convergence of five surrounding streets, Five Points is built around its tenets; simplicity, timelessness, honesty, balance, and real goodness. The Five Points Bakery ethos has always been about supporting honest and direct relationships between farmers, grocers, staff, and customers.
We first opened up shop at 426 Rhode Island Street, bringing quality hand-made bread and pastries to the neighborhood. This space was the perfect starting point for Five Points. Back in 2009, founders Melissa and Kevin Gardner baked all the bread, milled their own flour, and ran the place night and day. Just a two minute walk from their home, this small but mighty building brought their dream to life. With a stocked bookshelf, mancala boards, and as much seating as the place could hold, the bakery became a much-needed community space. Five Points called this location home for five years.
A derelict building that was once home to a building supply company sat abandoned on the corner of Brayton Street for years. It served only as a bus stop for the four Gardner children. Despite being sorely overgrown, we knew it had immense potential. After a major renovation of the property, the bakery moved in. The entire renovation was financed with loans from friends and family. Because of our deep-rooted relationship with our neighborhood, this corner was transformed into a community space, and all returns on our neighbor’s investments went directly into their pockets.
Since the move, Five Points has grown remarkably. The bakery sports a large outdoor seating area and a spacious yet cozy interior. There is plentiful upstairs and downstairs seating, and a completely open kitchen. We have welcomed new neighbors: Remedy House, Butter Block, Extra Extra Pizza, and more, to the area. Thus, our outdoor space serves as a gathering place at the heart of this bustling neighborhood. Passersby stop to look at the cats at West Side Cat Rescue, friends enjoy each other’s company at our picnic tables, and crowds gather to enjoy the Buffalo Jazz Collective playing on summer Sundays. Here at Five Points, we commit ourselves to supporting our community through good food, open spaces, and care for all.