Beloved New London Bakery To Close

NEW LONDON, CT — Another small business hit hard by the pandemic is closing its doors. Charlene Lindquist announced her retirement and will sell her New London bakery, The Cake Lady, according to The Day.

Linquist wrote on Facebook:

"Dear Beloved Customers

"It is with a heavy heart that I need to announce my retirement and the bakery is up for sale.

"I know to many of my customers I have been part of your family for generations starting when "you" were children. Together over the years we have celebrated birthdays, engagements, baby showers, retirements, weddings, anniversaries and holidays. I would like to visit with you one last time before I close this chapter in my life. We are bringing back the 6 for $10.00 (one box per customer) cupcake special that all of you remember so fondly. Please call me with your favorite cupcake flavors as we remember together, all the fun celebrations. I would also love for my customers to stop in so I can take a picture or share a memory with you for my personal photo album to remember all of you by."

Nearly 200 people commented on the post, with many mourning the loss of the bakery. "Oh wow..," one user said. "I certainly wish you all the best but I’m crying as well. So many birthdays and baby showers, your cakes have traveled by boat to Long Island, two hours to MA, 6 hours to upstate NY. You will be missed, such amazing talent."

Lindquist doesn't have a buyer yet but she would like to see The Cake Lady legacy continue, The Day reported. The bakery has unique offerings like hummingbird cake, banana cake, and cannoli cake along with her signature buttercream recipe.

Lindquist said all that it will take "is just one person that wants to learn what I know."

She plans to close the retail storefront by the end of the year and hopes to have someone ready to take over by April.

Lindquist, a graduate of East Lyme High School, first launched The Cake Lady as a home-based enterprise in 2001 and built her business on cupcakes.