CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - A bakery that has been one of the North Side’s favorites for over a century is planning to close its doors for good and is now seeing the kind of business it hasn’t seen in a long time.
Dinkel’s Bakery has been around for 101 years, owned by four-generations of the Dinkel family. It has been in its current location in the 3300 block of North Lincoln since 1946 after moving from across the street where it started in 1922.
Norman Dinkel Jr. has been in charge since the 1970s. He’s 79 years old now and said it’s time to retire and finally sleep in in the morning. So, he’s closing his bakery April 30.
Dinkel’s general manager Luke Karl said he underestimated how people would flock to the bakery once people heard it was going to close forever at the end of the month. There was a line outside the bakery before it opened at 7:00 a.m. Wednesday and the line grew longer inside. Karl said that was unusual.
“It’s nice to see that again. It’s kind of like the days of old (that) Norm used to talk about, people lined up around the block (on) just normal days of business, not even holidays,” Karl said.
“Between the pandemic and just changing shopping habits, business has been slower.”
Robin Allotta said she’s been coming to Dinkel’s for 40 years, since she was a child. Her birthday cakes were made here. Now, she brings her own children.
“We knew it was coming. We heard the building was for sale so we’re just glad they made it to 100 years and glad that we were part of the tradition,” said Allota.
14-year old Nayereh Hosseini loves the cherry turnovers at Dinkel’s. She and her father go to the bakery together at least once a week.
“I’m kind of sad. It’s pretty close to our house and, like, to my school, so, it’s kind of sad I won’t be able to have, like, the same traditions.” Hosseini said.
The teenager’s father said, however, he intends to keep up their weekly breakfast tradition even if it has to be somewhere else.
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