Popular Silicon Valley Bakery To Close After 39 Years

PALO ALTO, CA — Popular South Bay bakery the Prolific Oven is shutting down and will close all three of its locations by the end of the month.

The business has operated for 39 years, starting in Palo Alto and expanding into locations in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale. A Saratoga location closed in 2014.

Citing rising business costs and a shortage of skilled employees, the business owners announced on the bakery's website on Thursday that the last day of business would be Aug. 31.

"It has been a great honor and pleasure to have served you for nearly 40 years," the business owners wrote. "From the very beginning (1980) we set on an uncompromising path of high-quality baked goods... Each item always made in-house, from scratch, without any preservatives, artificial flavors or artificial colors."

Along with its bakery business, Prolific Oven also operated cafes at its locations with such eclectic menu items as chicken pesto paninis, chicken and gorgonzola salads, linguisa omelets and chipotle fettuccine entrees.

The bakery was known for its wedding and Passover cakes, macaroons, challah bread, cream puffs , pies and Yule Logs.

Posted to the Prolific Oven website was the owners' farewell message to the community:

"To our dearest fans:

"It has been a great honor and pleasure to have served you for nearly 40 years. It has meant the world to us that you have loved our cakes and freshly baked goods, and have chosen to celebrate your birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and just normal-old Friday nights with us.

"From the very beginning (1980) we set on an uncompromising path of high-quality baked goods.

"Real butter, true vanilla extract, gourmet chocolate, flours and sugars. Each item always made in-house, from scratch, without any preservatives, artificial flavors or artificial colors. No cut-corners.

"It is on this uncompromising path that we have tried to endure the continual rising costs of doing business in the ever-changing Bay Area, while battling a severe shortage of skilled employees. We have stayed true to our commitment to excellence, to 'creating breads and pastries for the discriminating palate' and our refusal to lower our quality and standards has resulted in an unsustainable business model in Silicon Valley.

"Our last day of business will be August 31, 2019.

"This decision was a painful one to make but we will never forget the times that we shared here and the friends that we have made here. We will miss serving you in this location that we have called home for 39 years.

"From the bottom on our hearts, we thank you so much for all your support. The Chan Family."

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--Bay City News contributed to this post