Now Open Tuesdays! 8-6
Next Wine Tasting, January 23rd from 5-7 pm!
Friends and neighbors,
Hold onto your hats, and not just because of this crazy weather....
We want you to be among the first to know our exciting news: Village Bakery and the wine shop are evolving....and you will soon have not one, but two unique spaces to visit and meet friends old and new!
Village Bakery & Cafe will continue to operate as before, but with our friends and new business owners Jimmy Stockwell and Jen Sartwell (both also of Little Fish Brewery) at the helm! The staff of VB will still be the friendly faces you know, Ridge Runner coffee and espresso bevs will be roasted and brewed fresh to satisfy your cravings, and the local food-based menus will be full of all your favorite items, and then some! Jimmy & Jen are well qualified and super excited to lead VB into the next chapter, and we will leave it to them to share details of all the good things to come. They will begin running the business on February 1st! We are looking forward to joining you all for a cappuccino, a Wake-Up Call, and more, on the easy side of the counter!! ☕🥐🥗🍲 🍕
The wine shop will be moved to a new location TBA within the city of Athens, and Bob and Christine are eager to discover new domestic and international bottles to share, bring additional wine education opportunities to all, populate the calendar with fun tasting events, represent a range of local wineries & breweries, and keep all your favorite wines, beers, and n/a beverages well stocked. We're aiming to be open before Valentine's Day 🤞💘🥂
Finally, we want to invite you to the last wine tasting event at the Village Bakery, Friday, January 23, from 5-7 pm. Our very best Wine Friend Theresa Moran will lead the way through a lineup of sparkling, white, rose, orange and red wines, including 2 Mystery Wines and several exceptional bottles worth sampling!
We very much look forward to seeing you then and always, here in our home town, Athens! Christine & Bob
And Now... a few words from Jimmy and Jen!
I’m a little late in posting this publicly, but I’ve got some BIG things in the works for 2026! 🎉
Jennifer Sartwell and I have purchased The Village Bakery.
We’ve already been fielding a lot of questions, so here’s a little bit of what we’re envisioning for the future.
First — the Bakery & Café. After we take possession in February (with a training/transition month in January), our plan is to thoughtfully expand hours where it makes sense — later Saturdays, Sundays, possibly Tuesdays, etc. Almost definitely not all at once, but gradually as we work out staffing and logistics. We plan to keep the menu largely familiar, while bringing back some beloved classics (smoked trout? bialys? brunch? 👀) and adding a few of our own ideas, with a continued emphasis on locally sourced ingredients.
Second — and something I’m VERY excited about — we’re planning to re-open Della Zona for pizza. 🍕🔥 Wood-fired pizza paired with… gelato! Yes, really. The timing is still very TBD, since our first focus will absolutely be getting the bakery running smoothly after the transition, but we’re hopeful for an early spring return.
So why am I so excited about this new/old venture?
After opening Little Fish, my understanding of local economic networks has only deepened. Businesses like Little Fish and The Village Bakery have an outsized economic and cultural impact on a community — not just through great food and atmosphere, but through payroll and by sourcing from local farmers, millers, artists, and tradespeople. Those dollars circulate, relationships deepen, and communities get stronger. Personally, this is very important to me.
There’s also a fair amount of nostalgia wrapped up in this for me personally. Growing up in Athens, my dad was a co-founder of Crumb’s Bakery, and I spent plenty of early mornings hanging out in a bakery before school. Athens only has a couple of these businesses left, and it takes participation to ensure their future.
And finally, a huge thank you to Christine and Bob for creating a business that is literally a physical incarnation of sustainability and local economic networking — and then trusting Jen and me to carry it forward as owner-custodians. That trust means a lot to us, and we don’t take it lightly.
More to come soon. ❤️
Big news! Pretty heckin’ jazzed to finally spill the beans to y’all that Jimmy and I have purchased the Village Bakery in Athens! We promise to do right by all that Christine and Bob have built over the years and keep the menu locally-sourced, intentional, and filled with fan favorites old and new. I’ll still be at the helm at Little Fish Brewery, and Jimmy will be doing his work there as well. We’re really excited for this new venture and are honored that C & B trust us to carry on their work.
See you on East State Street in the new year!
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WELCOME! We are a wind- and solar-powered bakery, committed to accelerating the transition to a world beyond fossil fuels. By sourcing from local, sustainable, regenerative agriculture, and organic producers, we’re working toward a just and equitable food system. Together, we can make it happen!
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The Village Bakery is home to Athens, Ohio's Best WINE SelectionOur wine and craft beer bottle shop is open...
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A Little About UsWe have Ridge Runner coffee & espresso drinks, Herbal Sage teas, and our own Village Bakery baked treats and savory pastries — plus our famous quiche, soup, salad, sandwiches and more. Indoor and covered patio seating available. Explore our beautiful wine and gift shop, and say hello to our wonderful staff. Or order to go, and bring your own re-usable container if you like!
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Ridge Runner coffee beans come in green and get roasted to perfection by one of our favorite people! Available by the pound Wed-Sat. Get some!
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