Potsdam bakery and cafe owners put business on market but don't plan to close any time soon
Nov. 10—POTSDAM — The owners of 3 Bears Gluten Free Bakery and Cafe, 51 Market St., are putting their beloved business up for sale. Don't worry, though, they're not closing anytime soon.
Co-owners Faye Ori and Chris Durand know that time is precious, and feel the time is right to retire.
"Somewhere along the line we discovered that we were getting old, and that our time is valuable," Mr. Durand said. "My wife and I are both in our mid-60s, and we figured it's time to retire."
"We want to spend more time together and enjoy life," he added.
They would have turned the business over to one of their daughters, but they both have careers of their own, so putting it on the market was the most logical decision.
"We've been in business seven years, and it's been very good to us," Mr. Durand said. "We opened it for the right reasons — not to be rich, but to do something good for the community."
He said it makes him and his wife indescribably happy when a child who can't have typical cookies or cupcakes due to gluten allergies comes in and sees all the beautiful baked goods they can eat.
They hope to sell to someone with a similar philosophy.
"We had a couple who were interested in purchasing the business, but we didn't want to sell to them because they were just interested in making money," Mr. Durand said. "They cared more about their wallet than making the community happy."
They also want the next owners to keep the bakery gluten-free.
"One of the reasons we're so successful is because we're gluten-free," he said. "Because of that, we get customers from all over the place, including Ottawa, Rochester and Montreal."
He credits the culinary genius of his wife with much of the business's success.
"When it comes to making GF baked goods and coming up with ideas, she's just a genius," he said.
Some of her creations include White Russian cupcakes, which went viral online at one point, as well as Bailey's cupcakes. She changes up the offerings each month.
They're not just a bakery. "We have a little bit of everything," Mr. Durand said, such as sandwiches, wraps, fries, wine slushies, and vegan and dairy-free options.
In the meantime, while they seek a buyer, they're not going anywhere.
"We're never going to close," Mr. Durand said. "Even if we don't sell, we won't close."
Serious inquiries can contact the owners at 315-274-9308.
