EDWARDSVILLE - 222 Artisan Bakery announced they will temporarily close at the end of February 2024.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, the bakery announced that their landlord decided to bring in a different business.
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“We signed our new lease as written by our landlord, but unfortunately they decided to go with a different business. We do understand,” the bakery said in their post. “With rent prices rising in Edwardsville, you must do what you can for your family and your family’s future. Unfortunately, we were not their choice, and we can’t hold that against them.”
The bakery said they have another spot to “set up shop” but warned there may be a delay because of the time it takes to complete buildout, permits and city inspections. They added that they asked their landlord for an extension but the request was declined.
“In the meantime, our biggest concern is our employees,” the bakery said. “These folks have mortgages, rent, car payment, student loans, everyday things for living. They are the best employees ever and we hurt for them. We wouldn’t be who we are without them. Keep your fingers crossed, send your positive vibes and say a prayer for a speedy buildout and no hang ups for the new place.”
Following the bakery’s announcement, a GoFundMe was organized by Jeff Cassens, a long-term friend of the bakery. In the GoFundMe, Cassens wrote that all of the money collected will go toward hourly wages for employees to help with the buildout, and the owners will not take any wages during that time. Cassens encouraged people to support small businesses like 222 Artisan Bakery, noting that Edwardsville is built on small business.
The GoFundMe aims to raise $52,000 and had collected over $3,000 at the time of this article’s publication. For more information, check out the official GoFundMe page.
“We survived COVID because of two things,” owner Kim Goodner told RiverBender.com in July 2023. “Number one, our employees. Number two, our customers. We had very loyal customers. They didn’t want us to fail, and so they supported us through so much.”
To learn more about 222 Artisan Bakery, visit their official website.
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