A popular Newcastle bakery hailed by a famous food critic has announced plans to open a second shop in a Newcastle suburb.
Sourdough and croissant connoisseur FAB Bakery has become part of the community since opening in Fenham, a move triggered when the Covid lockdowns led to the company’s wholesale customers – a long list of upmarket restaurants and cafes – closing their doors for months on end.
Owner Shynara Bakisheva’s switch in business strategy was the hospitality trade’s loss but the Fenham community’s gain, with lengthy queues forming outside the shop on a regular basis for the firm’s freshly-made produce. Demand for its focaccia, sourdough loaves, ancient grains breads and patisserie treats – including its almond croissants which TV and newspaper food critic Grace Dent says is "maybe the North East’s greatest" – has seen FAB’s original team of three grow to 12, and more jobs will now be created as the bakery expands.
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Residents in can look forward to the bakery’s signature bakes when it opens soon on Ashburton Road, where Shynara is excited, and a little apprehensive, to be joining a parade of existing independent businesses. The artisan bread maker, who worked for Fenwick and at the Vallum food hub in the Tyne Valley before setting up her own business in 2017, collected the keys this week and is starting work soon on the fit-out, with a planned opening within weeks. The Fenham shop will remain the firm’s main base, its ovens supplying the two shops Wednesday to Saturday.
Shynara said: “Everyone has been saying ‘please tell us you’re staying in Fenham’, and of course we are. This shop is happening because of Fenham, which will be the flagship shop. I chose this site because the premises are quite sweet and quirky, and I’ve always liked that little street, it feels like a small community within a big city. It’s also where my friend Charlotte’s Butchery is, a real nice greengrocers and other independent businesses like an art school, interiors and clothing. I count myself really lucky to have this opportunity to be part of the community.
“As a shell, it requires a lick of paint and putting up of shelves. However, I want to have something special there so it’s not going to be a quick turnaround. It’s going to be a little bit scandi, a little bit earthy and smart, so when you walk in you feel relaxed and the products hopefully speak for themselves.
“It’s all nerve-wracking. My friend Charlotte says: ‘You’re going to do so well, everyone is so excited, the community is waiting for you’ but part of me is scared because it’s all unknown. I don’t know the area like Fenham, which is where I live, work and have raised my children. Everyone got behind Fenham and was so supportive, so in a way, Fenham made the second shop happen.
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“So I am a bit concerned, but have spoken to other shops on Ashburton Road and they are all welcoming. How much of that excitement is going to turn into people actually walking in and buying produce, and include us in their shopping routine? I want us to be integral to people's shopping baskets."
Shynara works hard to make sure FAB Bakery brings something new to customers on a regular basis. Future Gosforth customers can expect to buy weekend specials such as vegan pastries, croissant cubes, swiss rolls, chocolate orange palet d’or and opera cakes, all highlighted in advance in weekly newsletters which now have hundreds of subscribers.
And she said there's also scope to expand the range, potentially working with her friends at Charlotte's Butchery to create some pies and pasties.
There is also the potential to extend the bakery's opening days. For now, her working ‘day’ starts in the bakery on Tuesday at around 11pm and she and the team work through the night before neatly stacking shelves and cabinets the next morning ahead of opening, when shop manager Richard Dee welcomes in customers.
She said: “It takes expertise and patience to deliver to the high standard that we’re accustomed to, so bringing new produce at the same level takes time. You try to chase the customer to make sure they’re entertained and seduced by something new. Yes this is daunting, I’m a little bit overwhelmed at the prospect, but it is exciting. We opened a FAB Gosforth Instagram account and within 24 hours we had more than 360 followers and so many comments, so that’s a good indicator already.”