Three months after a devastating fire ripped through Norwood’s Bainbridge Avenue last October destroying a row of local stores, employees at the popular Bainbridge Bakery are back behind the counter and, once again, providing the community with their baked treats, the owners having opened a new store across the street from the original location.

As reported, the FDNY said they received a call at 3.49 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, for reports of a fire at 3117 Bainbridge Avenue, a one-story, commercial establishment located between East 205th Street and East 206th Street. The fire ultimately resulted in no injuries but destroyed several adjacent local businesses.

Norwood resident Natalie Joseph paid a visit to the new bakery on Saturday, Jan. 6. She told Norwood News, “I saw that they were building it, but I didn’t know they were open yet. We love them because they were always so friendly and every time we’d walk in, they would have the best stuff, and they were very smiley; we love them!”

Urbanski continued, “And then I woke up and I see this [referring to the destroyed row of Bainbridge Avenue stores]. It was weird, and then I had also read that there were some trash fires. I don’t know…..it was something about that night.”

Joseph added, “Someone was lighting fires to trash that day on Mosholu Parkway [a block or two away from Bainbridge Avenue]. Yeah. It was really weird. I can see though that… hasn’t it (the building) gone on fire before, like 10 years ago?”

“Matt,” another Norwood resident, later told Norwood News in relation to the bakery, “I shop here. I’ve known them my whole life, over 20 years, and it’s amazing that they’re back! I’m happy for them.” Asked how the holidays had been without the bakery, Matt responded, “It was horrible, but at least they’re back up and running!”

Matt, who said he was on his way to do some laundry when he saw the reopened bakery, said, “That lady is pretty good; no cookies like hers anywhere else!” He added, “It’s amazing; it’s way better! I just congratulated her. I’m proud of her. It sucks to have something that you work so hard for to burn down.”

A bakery employee later told Norwood News, “It’s crazy what happened. When she [the owner/manager] called me that morning, I was in shock. She said, ‘Did you see the news?’ I said, ‘What happened?’ I couldn’t believe it! If it happened for no reason, okay, but if somebody did that… it’s crazy…”

Norwood News reached out to the FDNY regarding Urbanski’s claims that firefighters were called to the scene the night before the fire broke out, as well as the claim that trash fires had been set on fire along Mosholu Parkway the same night. We did not receive an immediate response. We will share any updates we receive.

According to NYC Department of Finance and NYC Department of Buildings records, the affected building is owned, since 2011, by Bainbridge Realty Associates LLC, with an address at 1122 Avenue J in Brooklyn.