Photo / Fenders Photography
Tina Cromwell of Bam Bam Bakery
Updated: January 8, 2024
Economic Outlook
2024 Forecast: Bam Bam Bakery is ready to take on new year
Over the past three years, the restaurant industry has faced plenty of struggles and uncertainty.
But Tina Cromwell, owner of Bam Bam Bakery, plans to reopen her gluten-free bakery in a new location.
Bam Bam Bakery leased 1,961 square feet of retail space at the former Ela Market & Grill at 125 Bucknam Road in Falmouth. The bakery closed its Commercial Street location in Portland's Old Port during the pandemic.
Although Cromwell is excited about the new location, like many restaurant owners in the state, she worries about staffing and increased costs of ingredients and products.
“The restaurant industry is still trying to find what works best,” says Cromwell. “Ingredients are expensive. Staffing is tricky. People want a lot of money and will walk out on you knowing that they can go elsewhere for more money and a job that starts immediately. It’s very unsettling.”
In anticipation of the opening, the bakery owner is ready to start hiring. She says she is looking for those who love what they do and show up, but this has been her biggest struggle for many years.
“I provide a very safe, inclusive and fun environment for work,” says Cromwell. “That’s as much for me as it is for employees. I worry about the crazy amount of money people want to be paid and I know from the past that I will not be able to offer benefits until I can get over the $1.5 million.”
Bam Bam Bakery has been on a rollercoaster for the past few years. Cromwell purchased the business in 2017 and steadily increased sales. Until 2020, the bakery did business on Commercial Street in Portland. During that time, it became a staple for the gluten-free community.
In 2019, she planned to open a production kitchen, away from Commercial Street, allowing for more wholesale and retail business and hopefully some product shipping.
But the pandemic put a hard stop to those plans. Eventually, unable to pay the $7,000 monthly rent on the space, Cromwell decided to close her bakery doors in 2020.
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