Another Scandinavian business closes

Geeky Swedes Ballard

Another Scandinavian business has closed. The Scandinavian Bakery (8537 15th Av NW) closed its doors a little more than a week ago.

We’ve received emails about the abrupt closing of the store. “The owners made no announcement; there’s just a ‘Closed’ sign on the door,” Glenn emailed us. The Scandinavian Bakery has a fond place in his heart. “My parents took me there as a child, and I took my children there. It was a tradition,” he writes, “It will be missed by me and countless others.” This is the second Scandinavian business to close in the last year. Just last summer, Olsen’s Scandinavian Foods on Market Street closed.
Side note: When we went by this afternoon to take the photo, most everything inside has been removed except for a few display cases.

Geeky Swedes

The founders of My Ballard

31 thoughts to “Another Scandinavian business closes”

  2. I'm pretty sure that's happened before without it actually going out of business.
    If the sign just says closed, I'm not too worried until there's some more information. It's a small shop that would most likely be shut down if the owners are on vacation.

  3. Huh. They've been talking about selling it forever (or since last spring), but you'd think there'd be more of an annoncement before an actual closing date.

  6. I found myself wondering one day about how that place was even open in the first place. The only reason I even walked by it was because I was on my way to Taki's. It's storefront was small and kind of insular looking. Like it hadn't changed since 1970. But more importantly Larsen's is only a few blocks away. And awesome. How does a small place like that compete with Larsens in our decreasingly Scandinavian hood?

  7. Olson's! Now this! So much for Norwegian Ballard flavor. Make way for a new Pho or cell phone sale office. I will miss my Scandinavian rye. Bavarian Meats only gets one per week. Wah!

  9. I'm glad I left Ballard when I did. I still keep an eye on the neighborhood, but everyday it seems like its just losing so many things I dearly loved.

  10. I saw a sign on their front door last week explaining that they were closing because the bakery had been broken into and that the freezer had been stolen. Apparently, that was the last straw.

  11. I went in there once to get lefse, thinking it's a Scandinavian bakery… they'll have good lefse. They didn't. Upon asking, I was informed that it was frozen and made in Montana. At a Scandinavian bakery? What?

  12. I made it up there once. I liked the homeyness; I think that I ate something marzipan-esque and it was good. I told myself I'd return, as an alternative to the good-but-excessively-hyped Larsen's.

    But let's face it. Crown Hill junction is not a pleasant place. I was never going to find myself on a pleasant afternoon stroll in the area. I was never going to stay on the 15 bus an extra 30 blocks past Market just for a kringle. Their location virtually assured a limited audience — those who already pass through the area, rather than those who would make it a destination (by comparison, Larsen's word-of-mouth and flashy storefront proffered it as the latter).

    Sad to see them go, though. And I am truly sorry I never had a chance for a second visit.

    (At risk of hobbling my Ballard loyalty, I think Nielsen's in Lower Queen Anne bests Larsen's any day!)

  13. I always wanted to check the place out except they were never open. If you run a bakery you need to be open early enough for people to stop in on their way to work and/or late enough for people to stop by on their way home. This place opened too late and closed to early so I always wound up going to Larsen's who seem to understand that running a bakery isn't a 9-5 business.

  16. Sadness! I went there a few times (it's hard when I live right across the street from Larsen's to go anywhere else) and always found it to be amazing. Better than Larsen's. I wish they'd had time to make an announcement so I could have stopped by one last time. My Norwegian heart will miss them!

  18. As a graduate of BHS, I had a friend that worked at the bakery. Wiould often stop to visit and purchase a snack. Sorry to see it close. Likewise I was sorry to see the bowling alley and the Totem House Fish and Chips close. Many found memories of these places.

  19. Nei men Jens, det var mer dansk enn ekte skandinavisk! Og dansk bakereimiddler er forsøtt… islensk eller norsk bakereien er sjølvsagt best! ;-)

  21. An amazing place. They had dozens upon dozens of types of Scandinavian cookies, and at least 10 different types of rye bread, including limpa. I hadn't seen a bakery like this since visiting the Swedish neighborhood where my dad grew up in Falconer, NY.
    The morning that my father died (in a nursing home in Shoreline) my mom and I drove back afterwards to my place in Ballard. I was alarmed to discover, as I approached NW 85th, that her car was no longer following mine. Then I realized that she'd stopped at the Scandinavian Bakery to buy some of the fresh cardomom bread my father had loved so much. We went to my place and had it with tea.
    Going to that little bakery and buying cardomom bread always made me think of my dad. The cardomom bread at other local bakeries is not nearly as good as what they had at the Scandinavian Bakery. I'll sure miss them.

  22. Oh my goodness, I can't believe this! They were the best bakery around! They had the best Marzipan cake in Seattle and their Almond Vanilla Stang was a favorite of ours. I loved to pick it up and share with some neighbors of ours. This will definitely help me lose weight. Gitta, you were the best! Bekki, I'll miss you!

  23. The freezer has been in and out over the last couple of weeks. They mentioned a vampire had taken it in the sign posted right after they closed the doors. The entire building is up for sale according to some sources. With only Taki's as a renter wonder what will happen next. If Taki's goes–what next–a big old empty building? Will miss Taki's, but then they always seem to land in the garlic somewhere in Ballard/Crown Hill. Really miss the rye bread now although some is still on the shelves!

  24. This is so sad. My family made it's yearly pilgrimage at Christmas time to nourish our Swedish roots, and this bakery has always been on our list. They did have the best cardomon braid around. I was looking to order a Kransekaka for my folks 60th Anniversary, they had the best price for that as well. For those few Scandinavians left around… Ballard just ain't what it used to be!!!

  25. This bakery has been a tradition in our family for four generations. It was the only place we would travel to when we had a sweet tooth. I am getting married this summer and my fiance is not a cake man, nor did he care about the details of the wedding…except that he requested we have a marzipan cake from the Scandinavian Bakery for our wedding cake. So my heart is sadden for the sudden closure of this wonderful bakery so many will miss. And so my hunt begins for another bakery that can provide as grand a marzipan cake as they could. I will miss my rum & rasberry cake. We love you!!!

  27. I have been going to this great bakery for over 30 years! There was an article in the Times that told of the Scandinavian sailers fresh off the ships going here and getting marzipan cakes and how wonderful they were! I agree this was the best bakery. I made it a point to get bread, cookies and marzipan cake several times a month! Larsons is okay but can’t compare! Maybe they just relocated??? I will try Nielsens, I guess but the people were just like family and to sit and have coffee and cake to just relax was great! Miss you alot!!!
    Jana

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