This popular national bakery is opening its first Turlock location. Find out when and where
A bakery and a bar walk into Turlock.
Hold on, wait, I’m telling this wrong. A new bakery — part of a popular national chain — and a new bar — an independent nightspot downtown — are planning to open in Turlock. Sorry, you were probably waiting for a punchline. Instead you’re just going to have to be happy with cocktails and cake.
Turlock will soon have its first Nothing Bundt Cakes location and another new downtown bar. The two separate businesses are still under construction, with plans to open later this year.
The new Nothing Bundt Cakes will be another franchise for the well-known bakery chain specializing in circular bundt cakes for all occasions. First founded in Las Vegas in 1997, the company now has some 430 locations across the country and Canada.
The first and until now only location for the chain in Stanislaus County opened in 2016 on Standiford Avenue in Modesto. That same owner is now planning the county’s second location in Turlock. The site on Geer Road is in the former Green Grub space next to Raley’s supermarket. (Don’t worry, Green Grub just moved to a new location on North Golden State Boulevard.)
The site is in the early stages of its renovation, but has hung a banner announcing its new, sweet tenants.
Modesto Nothing Bundt Cakes store manager Brigena Williams said the new Turlock location is aiming to open by June 15. The new space is a little larger than the Modesto site, and expected to be staffed by about the same number of employees — about two dozen.
Fans of Nothing Bundt Cakes love their thickly iced treats that come in all sizes — from full-sized cakes to personal Bundtlets and cupcake-sized Bundtinis.
Meanwhile, across town in downtown Turlock, the long-vacant Al’s Billiards will find new life as a bar. Owner Dan Leonis is making good on some long-dormant plans to bring a new bar to the former pool hall on Center Street.
The Turlock Planning Commission approved plans for his new bar, 39 Milestone, last month. The 3,568 square-foot space will be transformed into a bar-nightclub with a capacity for about 150 people. The site will have a full bar serving beer, wine and spirits and host “live entertainment.”
Leonis has been trying to open his downtown bar since 2016, when Al’s Billiard closed down. He had a similar plan approved that year, but that project ultimately fell through and approvals expired. Now he is back and ready to revive the plans.
The approved development would take down the existing tin shed in the back of the building and transform it into a large, gated outdoor patio for patrons. The interior will have electronic dart boards, karaoke and space for a DJ. The new bar will be open 7 days a week, and could be done in about six months, if all goes smoothly.
The commission approved plans for the new bar with a modification to its hours, closing an hour earlier at 1 a.m. than some other surrounding bars that shut down at 2 a.m. The change was made to stagger closings times at popular downtown Turlock nightspots and hopefully ease any associated problems.
In January, Turlock’s downtown bar scene saw back-to-back deadly shootings. But the area’s nightlife has continued to thrive, and will soon have a new addition in 39 Milestone.
