Myrtle Bakery. Photo: Supplied / Google Maps
A popular Wellington bakery has announced its closure one week after winning a hospitality award, while another has been put into liquidation.
Myrtle Bakery on Kent Terrace in Mount Victoria won outstanding bakery at the 'unofficial' Welly Hospo Awards, which were hurriedly organised after the Felix Wellington Hospitality Awards were postponed after a challenging year in the industry.
Owners Sarah Bullock and Jacob Brown posted news of the closure on social media.
"It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the closure of Myrtle Bakery, as our cherished site is no longer available to house us," they wrote.
"The character of the building, its unique position, and the warmth and support of the people who visit us, are not just part of our story - they are our story ... Without them, we feel it is impossible to simply relocate and remain true to who we are."
The bakery had been open for three years, and its last day will be 21 December, they said.
Myrtle regularly had queues out the door. Patrons commented on the post saying they were devastated, and that the cafe was adored.
But the owners hinted they could be on to a new project.
"This is not necessarily the last you'll see of us. Having some downtime will undoubtedly inspire new ideas and who knows where that might lead."
The pair also own The Larder in Miramar, where they live.
Meanwhile, Alamir Bakery - also based in Miramar - was put into liquidation on 3 December, according to the Companies Office.
The company had been making pita, hummus, falafel, tahini and other Lebanese food for three decades.
It began as The Delicious Lebanese Snack Co in a small commercial kitchen supplying local eateries, and grew to be stocked by supermarkets across the country from 2017, its website said.
Heath Gair from Palliser Insolvency Limited is the appointed liquidator.
Burmese restaurant Mabel's, which has been on Tory Street for three years, is also closing.
Owner Marlar Boon posted on social media on Monday, its last day will be Christmas Eve.
The best way to support them and their staff was to visit the restaurant before it closed, she said - also acknowledging that "eating out during these times is a special treat for many".
"There will be no pop up's or any future kai iterations of Mabel's. We are out."
Boon and her husband Ian, who also owns Manners Street bar Crumpet, were ready for their next chapter and to spend time with their children who they had missed terribly while running the restaurant, she said.
Another Wellington store on Ghuznee Street, design, homeware and clothing boutique Kaukau, also announced its closure on social media on Sunday.
"After almost a decade on the street, this will be our final kirihimete, closing our doors to these purple walls in early 2025," said owners Nadya France-White and Prak Sritharan.
The Ghuznee Street community meant a lot to them and had shaped their lives, they said.
"We still believe so much in retail and people's desire to experience something special. But as a young whānau this feels like the right time for us to step away."
They had some "special projects" planned before the closure, they said. .
Myrtle Bakery, Alamir Bakery and Kaukau have been approached for comment, Mabels declined to comment at this stage.
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