Wuollet Bakery’s last Twin Cities location quietly closes in Uptown Minneapolis

The closure follows several years of financial strain and customer complaints under owner Eric Shogren, who also bought Twin Cities bakeries Hans’, A Baker’s Wife, Emily’s and Grandma’s.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 16, 2025 at 9:50PM
Wuollet Bakery, a Twin Cities institution since 1944, has closed its last remaining location, in Uptown Minneapolis. This photo shows the bakery's Wayzata location, which closed in 2024. (Glen Stubbe/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Wuollet Bakery — a Twin Cities institution since 1944 — has quietly closed its last remaining location in Uptown Minneapolis, the latest in a series of shutdowns in recent years.

The leased storefront at 822 W. Lake St. “went dark about 10 days ago,” company spokesman Robb Leer said Tuesday, adding the closure is part of a “massive” ongoing reorganization at the bakery’s parent company.

“At this time, there’s no plans to reopen near this location,” Leer said.

The company will continue to operate Hans’ Bakery in Anoka and A Baker’s Wife’s Pastry Shop in south Minneapolis, he said, as well as its online catering business.

Owner Eric Shogren could not immediately be reached for comment.

The interior of the Uptown corner shop has been partially gutted, with tables and chairs removed to make room for construction equipment.

News of the closure surfaced on Reddit, where one user called it a “big loss for the neighborhood.” Others recalled buying their wedding cakes there decades ago.

The family-owned business built its reputation on tradition and neighborhood ties before Shogren bought it in 2019. He also acquired Hans’, A Baker’s Wife, Grandma’s Bakery in White Bear Lake and Emily’s Bakery in Hastings. Grandma’s closed in 2023. Emily’s closed in 2021 and became a Wuollet location that has also since closed.

Shogren pledged to preserve Wuollet’s classic recipes while updating operations and appealing to younger customers.

But the bakery soon faced challenges. Complaints mounted over quality and selection, and landlords were filing eviction notices for unpaid rent.

In recent years, Wuollet locations also shuttered in Wayzata, downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Financial troubles worsened in 2024, when a Chicago-based bank sued Shogren and his companies for defaulting on more than $1.3 million in loans. Despite the turmoil, Shogren said at the time the business was not going under and pointed to plans to restructure.

Emmy Martin of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.

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