Great Harvest Bread Co. in Prairie Village’s Corinth Square will remain closed permanently, scuttling hopes that the bakery would find a new local owner after the previous owners shut down operations earlier this year.
Driving the news: Mike Ferretti, chief executive officer of the Montana-based Great Harvest corporation, which boasts more than 200 franchises nationwide, told the Post via email that a deal never materialized for new ownership to take over the Prairie Village shop.
- The Corinth Square bakery is listed as permanently closed both on Great Harvest’s website and on Google.
- Additionally, more than 300 bakery items like the oven, freezers, bread slicer and more are being auctioned off online.
What are they saying: An undated sign on Great Harvest’s door in Prairie Village echoes Ferrretti’s statement that the effort to sell the location did not come to fruition.
- “Thank you to all our loyal customers for your support,” the sign reads. “To find many of your Great Harvest favorites, please visit our friends in Lawrence, KS.”
Background: Sarah and Brian Berlin, the third set of owners at Great Harvest’s Prairie Village location, announced the closure in late April after eight years of running the shop.
- The Berlins said, among other issues, that the COVID-19 pandemic led to staffing and supply chain issues that made it harder for them to stay in business.
Hope for Great Harvest at first
Less than a week after the closure announcement, Ferretti told the Post the company wanted to maintain its Kansas City footprint.
- Ferretti said Great Harvest was determined to keep the Prairie Village doors open because the store was on its “iconic” list alongside the flagship store.
- Days before the pending May 11 closure, the Berlins took to Facebook to say they were talking to interested buyers in an effort to keep the Prairie Village store open.
What they’re saying: “We are very disappointed, but the deal never materialized,” Ferretti told the Post via email. “The franchisee did have significant interest in the store but was unable to put together a deal. Like I said, we are very disappointed.”
