The last day of business for North Bay favorite Monday Bakery was filled with longtime customers savoring the taste of favorite pastries and reminiscing over first birthday cakes and catered creations baked in the kitchens of owner Sally Geftakys.
The bakery ended its run this past weekend, when it saw some of the highest sales ever as customers got their double-baked croissants, savory scones and homemade muffins one last time, according to general manager Claire Jolliffe.
“It was nuts,” Jolliffe told The Press Democrat Wednesday. “We’d never seen anything like that but people were like ‘what can we do to support you?’”
Jolliffe said the bakery already had plans to close both locations some time at the end of September due to rising business costs and Geftakys wanting to spend more time with her family and newborn baby.
She added that although the Sonoma location saw great success, foot traffic at the Napa location had decreased by around 20%.
“Running a small business is no easy feat,” a social media post from the bakery last week said. “It has been an honor and privilege to provide pastries and the BEST coffee to the Napa and Sonoma communities.”
But the timeline was quickly moved up after a fire at the bakery’s production kitchen in the early hours of Aug. 21.
According to Jolliffe, the fire started when a person, who has yet to be identified, allegedly set a recycling bin on fire and used it to block the exit, which barricaded kitchen staff inside.
Jolliffe said the manager at the production facility was finally able to wedge the door open and push the bin away. No one was hurt and the production kitchen was largely untouched, but forced to close.
With the last minute change, Geftakys, Jolliffe and staff decided to use the next few days preparing to say goodbye to longtime, loyal customers, baking as many pastries with the ingredients on hand for one last hurrah.
“It already felt really somber saying goodbye and this was the way we had to do it,” Jolliffe said. “I’m really glad that we at least had those three days to see a lot of our regulars and to say goodbye.”
The Rise and Fall of Monday Bakery
Geftakys is an alumni of the Culinary Institute of America, Greystone campus. She attended the elite culinary program shortly after graduating from Gonzaga University, where she discovered her love of baking while making Rice Krispies treats in her dorm room microwave.
She began selling her pastry creations and coffee drinks at various Napa Valley farmer’s markets in 2017 before opening her first brick-and-mortar bakery on Second Street in Napa in 2019 where it became popular among locals.
Ingredients were locally sourced when possible and coffee came from both Ohm Coffee Roasters in Napa and Woodhouse coffee in Sonoma. The bakery also sold special drinks using products from wellness brand Moodbeli along with other seasonal pastries and creations such as cakes, breads, sandwiches and more.
It expanded out of its 300 square foot kitchen to a 2,000 square foot production facility in Napa a few years later as the bakery began to add wholesale production in its rotation.
The bakery signed a lease for the location in Sonoma, housed in a former retail store, but wasn’t able to open until last October due to permitting delays.
Although the Sonoma location was successful, Jolliffe said it wasn’t enough to offset the rent and the continued increase in business costs.
The Unexpected Closure and Future Plans
Although both locations are now closed, Geftakys won’t be hanging up her apron forever.
“We had a good run and it was super positive but it’s just time for a different direction,” Jolliffe said. “You may see Sally again if she comes back as Monday Bakery or something different, but her days of providing delicious pastries are not over.”
Despite the closure, Monday Bakery left a lasting impression on the North Bay community. Its dedication to quality ingredients, handcrafted pastries, and warm hospitality will be missed by many. However, Geftakys' entrepreneurial spirit and passion for baking remain strong, promising a possible return in the future. This leaves a glimmer of hope for those who enjoyed the bakery's offerings and are eager to see what she will create next.
