The moment will mark the first of many leaps forward for the historic property, as owners Matt and Jan Mathews – and tenants Ambatalia, Bloomingayles and Guideboat – see the fruits of their longstanding and painstaking efforts to revitalize MVLY realized.
Flour Craft will occupy the Carriage House at the Lumber Yard, a charming, historic space filled with history and light, with both indoor and patio seating as well as plenty of onsite parking for both cars & bikes.
Hardcastle, who responded to a gluten intolerance diagnosis in 2000 by making a radical career change, entering the pastry program at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena and learning how to cook all of the pastries and dishes she loved gluten-free from scratch, says she’s thrilled to build on the success of her San Anselmo location, which opened in 2013.
“After all the work to lay the foundation for our second location, we’re thrilled to be this close to opening our doors,” says Hardcastle. “What Matt and Jan are creating at the Lumber Yard is just incredible and will surely be a vital gathering space for the community. We’re excited to welcome our longtime customers and new friends to this gorgeous space.”
While the owners of Guideboat, Ambatalia and Bloomingayles have remained steadfast during the extensive renovation, much more is on the way at MVLY. In addition to Flour Craft and Watershed, the new restaurant from Ged Robertson that is expected to open at MVLY in the summer, Makers Market, Suzy Ekman’s growing brand of retail shops showcasing the wares of independent makers, is expected to open in the coming weeks.
The Mathews family purchased the historic landmark property in 2012 from the Cerri family, which had owned and maintained it as a lumber yard and True Value hardware store for the previous 14 years. The property was built by lumber magnate Robert Dollar in 1892 as Dollar Lumber Company.
In July 2016, the City Council approved their proposal to redevelop the iconic property into a multi-use space that seeks to be a community hub. They previously renovated the buildings that contain the existing Guideboat, Ambatalia and Bloomingayles retail shops, and spent the past year overhauling the others on the 42,500-square-foot site.
Hardcastle and Perko connected with the Mathews family through Equator Coffees firebrand Helen Russell. Equator has been Flour Craft’s coffee provider in recent years, and will be at the second location as well. Hardcastle says the new location will “be a more fully realized vision of what Flour Craft can be. I hope to continue with the things that people have loved so far – freshly baked bread, high quality pastries. And we hope to bring in more made to order items like fresh sandwiches and salads.”
The 411: Flour Craft Bakery is located at 702 San Anselmo Avenue, and opens a second location at the Mill Valley Lumber Yard at 129 Miller Avenue on April 7. MORE INFO.