November 20, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

After 10 years on Hill, bakery still rising
by LEN LEAR

Wendy Born and James Barrett are still feeling kneaded after 10 years as co-owners of Metropolitan Bakery at 8607 Germantown Ave. (Photo by Mimi Janosy)

In mid-1993, Wendy Smith Born, now 56, and ames Barrett, now 46, each put together $25,000 and also obtained a $125,000 line of credit from Meridian Bank. (Wendy’s husband, Christopher, is an orthopedic surgeon whose credit helped secure the loan.) With that money, the two friends who had met while working for the White Dog Café signed a three-year lease for a large bakery space at 1080 Columbus Blvd.

And in November, 1993, exactly 15 years ago, they opened the first retail Metropolitan Bakery store at 262 S. 19th St., just off Rittenhouse Square. The 700 square-foot space was so small that Born and Barrett were using a shoebox for a cash register and had just one rack of freshly baked bread daily.

Despite the cramped quarters, the store was crowded from day one. “It was our lifeline and is still our biggest producer,” said Born of the property that produces more than $500,000 in yearly revenue. Business was so busy, in fact, that Barrett would sleep in the store, and Born got up each day at 3 a.m. to make deliveries in her car.

In true American Dream fashion, Born and Barrett moved to a bigger bakery operation at 1036 Marlborough St. in Fishtown when their Columbus Boulevard lease was up in 1996. And they opened several more retail stores — at 1114 Pine St. in 1994, the Reading Terminal Market in 1995, the Anthropologie Clothing Store on the Main Line in 1997, at 8607 Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill in 1998 and the Shop Rite supermarket in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, in 1999, and more.

Spencer Robb of Mt. Airy (left) and Leor Saunders of Wyndmoor enjoy hanging out in front of Metropolitan while their moms shop inside. (Photo by Catherine Hennessy)

Not all were successful. Those that remain are in Old City (126 Market St.), Rittenhouse Square, Reading Terminal Market, 1114 Pine St. and Chestnut Hill. In addition, Metropolitan Bakery provides baked goods to dozens of the area’s top restaurants such as Lacroix, 10 Arts, Rae, White Dog Café, Farmicia, Waterworks, Continental, Barclay Prime, 20 Manning, Audrey Claire, Chloe, Coquette, Fogo de Chao, Friday Saturday Sunday, The Moshulu, Rouge, Silk City, Dilworthtown Inn and more.

According to Born, who estimates that Metropolitan has sold more than eight million loaves of bread since 1993, “We are quite busy these days despite the precarious economic climate. As the slow food/local food movement has taken hold, consumers have been more selective about where they buy their food. Not only have we managed to build a loyal clientele overt the years, but we have also participated in farmers markets, adding new customers in the process. Consumers have gradually become more interested in healthy food choices and realize that freshly made products are often better for their health.

“After the Atkins ‘revolution’ died off, whole grains took hold, and our whole wheat breads became tremendously popular. James has since added a whole grain baguette, a 100% whole grain bread and a flax seed cranberry bread.” Metropolitan has also added some refrigerator items such as fresh pasta, soups, cheeses and house-made granola. One of the popular features at the Hill store in this economically troubled time is the rack of day-old, half-price loaves and other items in the rear of the store. To get them, it’s best to go there early in the morning.

Regarding their Chestnut Hill store, Born insists that “it continues to be a bustling store with many loyal customers. After we closed a location we had in the Ardmore Farmers’ Market, some of our Main Line customers actually followed us to the Chestnut Hill store because it was the next closest one to them. We participate whenever possible in community events and festivals on the Hill.”

After 15 years, the company still employs old-world artisan techniques. The artisan baking process is a slow one; initially, it takes up to two weeks for the natural yeast (or starter) to mature and then another 48 hours for each loaf to be mixed, shaped, pounded, allowed to rise in rye-dusted willow baskets, and then baked in steam-injected, stone-deck ovens. Head baker Barrett is in the bakery almost every day, personally overseeing the 2,000+ loaves that leave the bakery daily.In addition to all of their business enterprises, Born and Barrett contribute their time, energy and food to many charitable causes. Among numerous honors, they have been named “Small Business Persons of the Year” by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

You might say that Barrett and Born rose quickly in the baking business but that their business was filled with many turnovers. They’re both considered smart cookies, and they’ve never wasted their dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, even to the point of being crusty, they are both regarded as roll models in the bakery business. They probably have no idea how much they are really kneaded, and I know for a fact that no one in their employment has ever suffered from a yeast infection.

For more information, call 215-753-9001 or visit www.metropolitan bakery.com.