By Staff
March 10th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Article revised: The Statement used in an earlier version did not come from the bakery management.
Kelly’s Bake Shoppe, has recently been given 60 days’ notice to vacate their premises. The space, along with the entire block it occupies, is slated for demolition in the next 2-3 months.
Kelly and her daughter, Erinn Weatherbie, are the faces behind a bakery that attracts visitors from all over Canada and the US.
The sudden news has reportedly left them overwhelmed as they now scramble to find a new location within an incredibly tight timeframe to leave in 60 days.
New is that the space has to be vacated within 60 days.
Here’s the thing Burlington is a growing city and any type of growth dictates change live it, or move, or replace your City Officials.
Turning Downtown into Brampton one condo at a time.
Now the Trump supporters know what it’s like to get the short end of the stick.
The tour group of 300 I arranged from people worldwide just to go to Kelly’s Cupcake Shop will now have to be cancelled. I guess we will have to go to other important world renowned destinations like the Louve, The Roman Coliseum or the Pyramids in Egypt. Life isn’t like a box of chocolates.
I can’t wait until downtown is nothing but condo towers. That should really add to Burlington’s already hemorrhaging charm.
I’m sure they made their money.. at the prices they charged
They knew it was a temporary location from the beginning. The building was sold years ago and they know that. They are lucky they got 60 days notice. Legally it’s only 30 day’s notice to vacate said rental property.
Don’t think they are scrambling, don’t they have another location in oakville?
This is what I heard…I heard they were moving to Oakville weeks ago
So sad – a great asset to DT Burlington.
Love this shop – many ppl drop in for all gleutin & lactose free.
I hate that they’re now starting to ruen downtown Burlington. It used to be quaint and now it’s turning into something modern and boring. People constantly travel to older areas of the world like Asia and Europe to see the beauty that hundreds of years has formed, yet here we sell them.to the highest bidder then knock it down instead of preserving it. So utterly sad and wasteful. I hope this lovely bakery finds an area that truly apprecates them and I hope Burlington stops these unecessary modern transfmations
Welcome in Milton if Kelly’s wants to move.
Love this shop & is an asset to DT Burlington
So sad
Development all over the COB is displacing commercial – called de-commercialization – in favour of much more money value high density residential.
The downtown was targeted and preplanned long ago, as was the Aldershot area, particularly the Plains Rd, near MTSA (GO) large area.
These developments are supposed to be “complete communities”, with land uses that includes the needs of life nearby the residential. This of course is not happening.
Nearby commercial is being steadily demolished and completely replaced with condos or such, but with only a trivial amount of retail/commercial/employment. In Aldershot a great deal of this has already happened, but not many planned condos are built. What’s happening is the commercial is gone and a large paper profit is made. However, finishing the builds has been taking years and years – up to 10 yrs plus, who knows, and it goes on. Downtown is caught in more proposals from the past.
Kelly’s got caught up in the 409 Brant St proposal quite a while ago, and I recall that it went to OLT, and it’s fate was sealed. Who knows how long this will take to complete. Council then got lost in the Ford government Growth Plan and several repeated revisions for more. It goes on too.
The point is, decommercialization is happening and this is removing convenient shopping on a big Net basis – much more lost than replaced. That has been known for a long time, but the City has not done much to fix it to fit what they say they want to get – complete communities. Commercial/retail/employment has no weight to bear the speculative, relative value of density.
It is crazy to have more supposedly affordable condos downtown but there is no way this was a surprise. The shop almost had to close a bit ago due to a past project but it fell through. I am surprised they have not been looking since the first scare back then as they had to know this is a very real possibility. Good luck Kelly’s I hope you find a great spot
No sympathy with this situation.
All of Burlington has read about this for many years.
They should have been pro-active and relocated before now, on their own terms, and get a spot with free parking for all. Not when they have 60 days at the last min.
I will miss the bakery, In the good weather I would treat myself to one of the Morning Glory muffins and take it home with me after an almost 10K walk there and back. This bakery is a blessing for those of us who are living with celiac disease or gluten intolerance… I hope that Kelly and her daughter are able to find another location nearby to reopen. Perhaps the condominium builders will construct the building with a podium that has reasonably-priced retail space for rent, and then the bakery can return. One can only dream!
What kind of deal is cooking behind the scenes that requires vacating a prosperous business location on 60:days notice?
Oh no! Where am I going to go to get my stale-tasting, dry as cardboard, grossly overpriced cupcakes now?!
I live a couple blocks away from the amazing-looking Kelly’s, I’ve never been in there, but the lineups are proof of its popularity.
More condos ? This has nothing to do with affordable anything. Maybe one or two token affordable units.
I am surprised to hear that Kelly and her daughter are “overwhelmed” by this news.
The reasons ECoB ( Engaged Citizens of Burlington) formed in 2018 was to try to protect the development of the area that included Kelly’s Bake Shoppe. Kelly was a very generous supporter of ECoB as her business would definitely be affected by the proposed development.
The developer, for whatever reason, put this on hold. I am certain since that time there must have been a clause in the rental agreement for Kelly’s Bake Shoppe that indicated that the owner of the property had the right to terminate the lease with a 2 month notice.
I agree that it is a very short time to find a new location and it is very sad to see yet another small thriving business close its doors.
Unfortunately the fate of this business has been in the hands of a developer for many years.
The saddest part for many was the knowledge that when it comes to development the Province overrules the Municipalities.
I hope Kelly’s Bake Shoppe is able to find a nearby location that suits their needs.
Why would the owners be surprised.?All the other business involved moved on years ago.
The drug store location at No Frills plaza had been vacant for about a year. Unless the rent was astronomical, it looks like Kelly has been sleeping.
Absolute insanity…affordable housing? ..downtown.? .won’t hold my breath!
That whole block gives our city a distinctive character to say the very least!