Jan. 5, 2017 By Hannah Wulkan
A popular Astoria bakeshop has closed for business.
The Astor Bake Shop at 12-23 Astoria Boulevard shut down at the end of the year after more than five years of business.
Owner George McKirdy announced the closure on the Bake Shop’s Facebook page, writing, “Many thanks to all of you who were patrons of Astor Bake Shop & Restaurant. Unfortunately we will not be reopening but wanted to express our appreciation to our patrons. We loved our little corner of Astoria and will miss it dearly.”
McKirdy opened the bakeshop in June 2010, after working as a pastry chef at several restaurants in Manhattan, including Regine’s, TriBaKery and Blue Fin.
The bakeshop became a popular spot for a casual meal and baked goods. It specialized in American and European style cakes and pastries, and also served a simple menu including breakfast food, burgers, sandwiches and salads.
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20 Comments
Dear George, I am the elderly single woman who came in once a week for dinner after working at a social service agency next to the projects. The wait staff was always welcoming and the food was a great treat! Thank you, thank you.
Surprised it lasted as long as it did,maybe service was slow and chairs uncomfortable. It seems location was pre-mature, true its not that close to the projects but the area with its limited transit seems dark and quiet at night. Maybe it was a decent thing not to have too many crowds, but its far away. The nearest train stop is 20 blocks. Going throughout the neighborhood it seems more like a 90s neighborhood or one of those not so gentrified immigrant brooklyn or queens neighborhoods further from subway,sort of like jamaica,queens or midwood.
It did have publicity but not a lot of it. How many locals have gone there often, sometimes the restaurant or bake shop is good or very good, but to be competitive it has to be great. Its not enough to have decent pastries and good coffee. It has to be great,especially if the prices are very high. Was it too slow,workers a bit unhappy. Simply charging $10 for a bread with a few fresh basic ingredients ain’t enough especially in that part of town.
This is a great loss to our community! The food was farm fresh and so delicious! It was a gathering place for the neighborhood. Many a celebration was held there. Chef George McKirdy is amazing in his culinary art and in fostering the Arts in his establishment. I hosted my “The Enchanted Goddess Writing Series” there for the past two years. Many fabulous Open Mic’s with accomplished musicians, writers and performers featured at Astor Bake Shop! Chef McKirdy featured visual artists work at his establishment. He held fundraisers for local art groups like Newtown Literary. He hosted chef tastings and brought his fine fare to Socrates Park Summer Arts events. The Sunday Jazz brunches were legendary! Astor Bake Shop was the only full service – 3 fine meals a day eatery this side of 21st Street. It was the hub of families, millennials, artists, couples and everyone in between to gather for a fine bite in a cool sun filled venue with great food, music and conversation! Chef George Mc Kirdy became family for so many of us!
This is a great loss to our community! The food was farm fresh and so delicious! It was a gathering place for the neighborhood. Many a celebration was held there. Chef George McKirdy is amazing in his culinary art and in fostering the Arts in his establishment. I hosted my “The Enchanted Goddess Writing Series” there for the past two years. Many fabulous Open Mic’s with accomplished musicians, writers and performers featured at Astor Bake Shop! Chef McKirdy featured visual artists work at his establishment. He held fundraisers for local art groups like Newtown Literary. He hosted chef tastings and brought his fine fare to Socrates Park Summer Arts events. The Sunday Jazz brunches were legendary! Astor Bake Shop was the only full service – 3 fine meals a day eatery this side of 21st Street. It was the hub of families, millennials, artists, couples and everyone in between to gather for a fine bite in a cool sun filled venue with great food, music and conversation! Chef George Mc Kirdy became family for so many of us!
There’s more to this story. I was down there about two weeks ago, right after Christmas, to get coffee and the place was shut down by the dept of health. There were signs posted on the door. Cant blame the neighbors for that.
There’s more to this story. I was down there about two weeks ago, right after Christmas, to get coffee and the place was shut down by the dept of health. There were signs posted on the door. Cant blame the neighbors for that.
AJ welcome to 2016 and not the mid 90s! I grew up in this area and have always lived across the street from Astor Bake Shop. There has been a BIG change in our neighborhood!! Astoria Houses are located on 8th Street and below. Astor Bake Shop was located on 14th Street.
Astor opened in the summer of 2010 and closed in December 2016. Six years of great food and an awesome neighbor! We will miss you!
AJ, welcome to the 21st Century!! Mid 90s?? I live across the street and the situation you describe is not fair and non-existent… Astor is located on 14th Street. Astoria Housing is located on 8th Street and streets below! Have you ever been to Astor Bake Shop??
Probably because they still served cake that was baked the weekend they opened.
You obviously have never been to Astor Bake Shop, Jon!
That is nonsense. Both the food and cake were excellent and the coffee included some of the finest varietal beans such as Tanzania Teaberry. I have no connection with this business other than a former patron.
If this is the place right outside of the Astoria projects, credit Is deserved just for opening a business there. It takes either courage or stupidity just to stand there after dark. I visited a friend in the Astoria projects in the mid 90s and ran into a group of guys I went to school with and played sports with growing up. The warned me, “John what are you doing here? Be careful. Go where you are going and make sure you leave before it gets dark” The friend I was visiting put it thusly: you’ll be fine unless somebody is fiending for a fix, then they’ll rob you.” Opening a business two blocks from the projects isnt for the faint of heart.
So you’re basing your “encounter” within the Astoria Houses in the mid-90’s to why this business establishment (which was great), closing its doors more than 20yrs later. **Head-scratcher**
I guess nobody should walk-through Williamsburg either.
Well there was a bust of 100 people recently for narcotics and weapons charges
If there’s 1000 people living there then 10% of the population just became felons. Probably not for the first time
New York City isn’t the same as it was in the 90s
This was not located near the Astoria projects, but was located right next to the Astoria Branch Library in an area that was far less blood n’ guts. I always called that area “The Borderlands” because it was a transition between residential Astoria and the Projects. I lived around the corner from this Bake Shop and frequented it often. I left Astoria two years ago, and I think many of those who were customers may have left.
That area probably didn’t have the foot traffic to support it?
This is true but once the Durst apartments are completed on the peninsula, there will probably be more foot traffic.
So just suck it up for another 2-3 years right?
Come on be logical