Closure of longtime Santa Maria bakery outlet disappoints customers

After years of operation, the Oroweat Bakery Outlet in Santa Maria has shut its doors for good.

The unexpected closure has upset many customers who shopped at the store on Betteravia Road.

“I was quite shocked when I found out they were closed,” said longtime customer Tammy Manson Pardo. “I walked up to the building and there were little signs on the door saying they were closed. No reason.”

The Orcutt resident said she shopped at the store at least once a month, stocking up on bread and other baked items.

She added the store was a popular place for area shoppers and usually seemed to be busy.

“I always saw customers in there,” Manson Prado said. “I never went in there when there wasn’t one or two people in there, if not more.”

According to the store’s corporate owner, Bimbo Bakeries USA, it was shut down because the company has reduced excess product and felt there was no longer a need for the outlet.

Manson Prado disagrees with the company. She said the store has long served a vital role in the community.

“People depended on the store to go get really good quality bread at lower prices,” Manson Prado said. “I don’t think they know how many people they affected by closing that store.”

Manson Prado said she regularly bought bread in the outlet for less than $2. She added the exact same bread cost about $4 at major supermarkets in the area.

“There’s a lot of people that use that store to feed their family on a budget,” Manson Prado said. “Lots of us are on a budget.”

On Tuesday, a steady stream of customers came to the store, but were turned away by locked doors and a sign in the window that said it was closed permanently.

“We’re really disappointed,” said Roy Hartnell. “I used to keep my grandkids stocked with cookies and breads and things for our home.”

Hartnell said he drove in from the Five Cities, where two similar discount bread stores have closed in recent years.

“We’re kind of sad,” Hartnell said. “I have my grandson with me and we were coming down here and we were talking about going to the bread store and we were surprised. There was no warning.”

Disappointed in the store’s closing, Manson Prado recently posted her feelings on the Orcutt Unfiltered Neighborhood Watch group page.

“There was at least 100 reactions,” said Manson Prado. “Just surprised that there were so many people in this small community of Orcutt that was shocked by it.”

She emailed the company as well and actually received a call back. She is hoping Bimbo Bakeries USA will reconsider its decision, but is realistic it is unlikely.

“I hope they open again,” Manson Prado said. “But I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

On the sign that is posted on the locked doors at the store, Bimbo Bakeries thanks customers for their patronage and adds they can still find its products at other local retailers.

A Bimbo Bakeries distribution center remains in business on the other side of the building.