Bakeries have adapted alongside changing food purchasing options and preferences. Despite the nostalgia associated with bakeries gone-by, they’ve stayed relevant and significant in the hearts and minds of the community. Although home bakers abound and many retailers and coffee shops have baked goods, for this series bakeries will be defined as a business whose primary purpose is to bake breads, celebration cakes, and pastries.

In 1970 when Red and Juanita Barger sold Krispy Glaze bakery, it could have heralded the end of the mom-and-pop style bakeries of yesteryear for Transylvania County. For about a decade, it seemed like that might be the case. The large grocery store chain Bi-Lo moved into the plaza that currently houses Tractor Supply and other businesses, and with it they brought an entire bakery department. This type of bakery was the prominent type visited by patrons as other supermarket chains like Community Cash, IGA, and Ingles also began operating in Transylvania County.

Fletcher Academy Bakeries based in Henderson County advertised that IGA grocery stores were distributers for their products in the late 1970s. They were similar to Becker’s and others who had advertised in earlier decades in order to draw business from an expanded region. It doesn’t seem that they offered enough competition to inhibit local bakeries from growing, because in 1978 ads began to appear for McFarlan Bakery run by Arthur Rubin and his wife Sandra.

McFarlan’s was already a successful bakery in Henderson County. Rubin had worked there early in his career as a professional baker and bought them out a few years later. When McFarlan’s decided to expand by adding a Brevard location on East Main Street (current location of Quotations), Arthur Rubin saw an opportunity to expand his successful business in the field of baking.

Rubin graduated from the Culinary Institute of America at the top of his class and was an award-winning baker. He was the president of the Carolina Retail Bakers and acted as the manager of Hendersonville’s McFarlan’s Bakery for five years before purchasing it in 1974.

Rubin remained a top-tier baker his whole life and won first place in cakes and “Best in Show” honors at the WNC Food & Culinary Arts Show in 1977, followed by 1980 honors bestowed upon McFarlan Bake Shop then they won four first place awards at the Carolina Retail Bakers Convention.

During this time, many small baking businesses popped up and then vanished. A venture called the Market Place Cafeteria made a brief showing in papers around 1985. It was advertised as a bakery and café that was supported by TVS and located in College Plaza. It is unclear how long the enterprise lasted. The Brevard Bakery and Sandwich Shop operated from 1986-1989.

McFarlan’s Bake Shop seemed to be the go-to bakery for Transylvania until late 1992 when Arthur Rubin passed away unexpectedly at the age of 46 due to a heart attack. McFarlan’s closed about one month later. By that time, new Bi-Lo and Ingles supermarket buildings had been constructed with full bakery departments, and they served Transylvania’s baked good needs solely for a few years. Rubin’s widow and daughter ran a donut shop in Hendersonville called “Doughboy’s Donuts” (1994-2009) in memory of Arthur, whose nickname had been “Doughboy.”

A couple more bakeries popped up in Transylvania County during this time, but they didn’t last more than a couple of years: Sweets by Sue in the Times Arcade Alley in 1996, and Poets, Prophets, and Pastries Bookstore and Bakery in 1997, which was a Christian coffeehouse.

A more enduring legacy began when Bracken Mountain Bakery opened in 1995 in the historic Fraternity Building, where the business remains today. Bill and Debbie Tellman moved from Charlotte to run the old-world style bakery for two decades before they retired and sold the business to current owners Nick and April Lamb in 2015.

Nick had worked with the Tellmans from very early on in the history of the business and had been with them for 18 years at the time of the sale. Under Nick and April’s leadership, Bracken Mountain Bakery was one of only 20 bakeries included in Southern Living Magazine’s “South’s Best Bakeries”. The Lambs continue to run Bracken Mountain Bakery today.

In 2006 Blue Ridge Bakery advertised their grand opening on Caldwell Street. One year later, they moved to South Broad Street, and then in 2016 moved to their current location on West Main Street. Blue Ridge Bakery was started by Katina and John Hansen and was operated by them until early 2025.

During that time, Katina also taught classes and led culinary expeditions on Greek cooking, worked with the Blue Zones Project to add heart-healthy options to their lunch menu, and provided many celebration cakes for occasions of all kinds.

When the Hansens retired in early 2025, they sold the business to Alexia and David Blackwell. The Blackwells now perpetuate the Hansens dream of running a bakery and active lunch spot in downtown Brevard.

This concludes the overview of bakeries in Transylvania County from the 1970s to the present day, and the series on Transylvania Bakeries.

Photos and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Laura Sperry, Local History Librarian. Sources available upon request.