West End Bakery for sale, looking for new owners to 'keep it going'

MISHAWAKA, Ind. --- An almost century old family business is Mishawaka is looking for new owners.

The West End Bakery on Seventh Street has been passed down generation by generation since 1928. Now, the owners are planning on retiring and are hoping another family can take over.

The business was listed for sale online Wednesday.

Owner Greg Fobe has been working at the bakery since the day after he graduated high school.  He said he’s been considering selling the bakery for a while now to retire.

Ideally, he’s hoping it can stay the way it is. The price of the historic bakery includes all the equipment, recipes, and long-time customers.

 “We want to see it carry on and keep going,” Fobe said.

There’s a lot of history packed into the once 2400 square foot bakery that’s now doubled in size. Fobe’s grandparents Adolf and Mary Fobe opened the bakery in 1928. At that time it was half home, half business.

“It’s pretty much been my life,” Fobe said. “Oh at least 27 something years [my grandparents] lived here. My dad lived here till he got married, till he was like 26 years old.”

Since 1976, Fobe has been running the bakery alongside his long-time business partner, and friend, Laslow Kincses.

Kincses, and immigrant from Hungary, said he’s enjoyed all the years he’s worked at West End Bakery as head baker. He even jokes that he taught Fobe everything he knows.

 “I was 23 years old, yeah. Been here ever since… six days a week!” Kincses said, laughing. “Greg and I have gotten along well since I trained him! Right?”

Six days a week for the last 44 years, the pair has been working side by side. So it’s no surprise that for them, selling the bakery is a little bitter-sweet.

They say it’s the love that’s gone into the West End Bakery and all the hundreds of memories they’ve shared together that makes it so hard to leave behind.

“We were just talking and all of a sudden it’s finally here,” Kincses said. “We used to carry hundred pound bags of flour. Now 50 has gotten heavy!”

Fobe is hoping new owners can take over by June of this year. Until then, you can still find sweet treats and fresh baked goods at West End Bakery.