Food & Drink May 30, 2012 at 4:00 am

Butter Personified

There's a Reason Crumble & Flake Sells Out of Pastries Within One Hour of Opening Its Doors

Megan Seling
Neil Robertson has a few secrets. Kelly O
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Comments

1
What he should really do is just start baking later. I'm assuming here that he doesn't really want to be working at 4.30am - and that everything would sell out just as fast if he opened at 11am or noon. And that way I'd stand a chance in hell of ever being up early enough to stand in line for some :)
jac on May 30, 2012 at 7:11 PM Report this
3
Why not just bake more? I don't get it.
on June 2, 2012 at 5:50 PM Report this
4
I agree! I remember waiting for the baker to show up when I was in Belgium, and then realized he'd show up when he was good and ready (always past 9). It worked perfectly-we all got sleep, and there was something hot and buttery and fresh when late morning rolled around...
FreeJena2 on June 3, 2012 at 6:17 PM Report this
5
Remember Pauline's Pastry in Ballard a couple of years ago? Exact same concept, small shop, really great treats, made in small batches. People thought the owner/chef was wacko for not giving them espresso, and a place to sit. Too bad it took a relatively famous chef and The Stranger clamoring to interview him to make people understand this concept. I hope she opens back up again at some point. Best of luck to Neil and his shop.
on June 4, 2012 at 11:39 AM Report this
6
@5, no, I don't remember Pauline's, and considering that she only got THREE yelp reviews, nobody else does either. Good luck to Neil and his vision, but if you're never open, people are going to stop bothering to try their luck. It makes me sad to see talented pastry chefs believe their own hype and bungle their businesses. Coco la ti da, anyone?
on June 5, 2012 at 1:18 PM Report this
7
If it takes him only 2 1/2 hours to make all these pastries, why doesn't he do another batch at 7? @6 is right. This probably isn't a sustainable business model.
care bear on June 5, 2012 at 1:39 PM Report this
8
@6: I remember Pauline Pastry, as do many others.

Everything she touched was delectable, and she actually did make a second mid-afternoon batch the way @7 suggests, allowing her to sell into the evening when people actually crave after-dinner indulgences.

My understanding is that she was doing just fine in that tiny space, but lost her lease.
d.p. on June 5, 2012 at 1:56 PM Report this
9
Clearly there is an unmet demand for pastry on the Hill.

$12 hamburgers, not so much.
bleedingheartlibertarian on June 5, 2012 at 2:07 PM Report this
10
Some of the items are constrained not only by space, but by time. The macarons, for example, need to mature overnight. I'm not sure what makes this model unsustainable -- he is selling out. I would think that he has priced his items so as to maintain his business. Selling out in two hours and selling out is nine hours are both selling out.
hereiswheremynamegoes on June 5, 2012 at 10:08 PM Report this
11
Neil bakes throughout the day. He's there for 13+ hours every day he's open baking and prepping for the next day's batch. He is also limited by the capacity of his freezer, refrigerator, and oven.
maccum on June 5, 2012 at 10:45 PM Report this
12
to maximuze his revenue, without adding staff or working harder, he should raise prices to the point where he just doesnt quite sell out. he is obviously undercharging for his doughnuts.
Cassette tape fan on June 6, 2012 at 3:48 AM Report this

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