For the past three decades, it seemed like there was only one cake worth having at your graduation, birthday, bridal shower, or wedding. The cake that sat atop the pedestal in the middle of the celebration table, the one that was shoved in the newlyweds’ faces and carried in neat slices to the waiting partygoers, was the cake. triple berry from Sweet Lady Jane.
The bakery, which had six locations in Los Angeles (West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Encino, Calabasas and San Fernando), closed all of its bakeries on Sunday.
The company announced the closures in a statement posted on social media.
“After 35 years we are closing our doors,” the statement reads. “Our last day of activity was December 31, 2023.”
The store celebrated its 35th anniversary in June, recently remodeled several stores and had plans to open new stores in Larchmont and Marina del Rey.
“We did not make this decision lightly or quickly,” the statement read. “While our customer support and loyalty has been strong, sales are not sufficient to continue doing business in the state of California, allowing us to meet our lease obligations and pay our valued employees a living wage without pass those costs directly to you. .”
A representative for Sweet Lady Jane did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
“This business is brutal,” Erin McKenna’s Bakery commented on the Instagram post about the sudden closure. The vegan and gluten-free bakery has a location on Larchmont Boulevard in Windsor Square, as well as bakeries in Florida and New York City. “I’m so sorry. I know this wasn’t easy.”
The news comes at a time filled with uncertainty for the Los Angeles restaurant industry, with dozens of notable closures announced in 2023.
Founder Jane Lockhart opened the first Sweet Lady Jane Bakery on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood in 1988. The triple berry pie wasn’t on Lockhart’s opening menu, but it was a hit from the moment she introduced it a few months later. The cake accounted for more than half of the bakery’s sales.
It was a simple version of strawberry shortcake, with rich yellow butter shortcake topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. The whipped cream was incredibly light and a little sweet. Each fruit had its own dedicated layer so that when you cut the cake, you could easily choose your favorite.
He was immediately recognizable at parties. The tall, immaculate cake was carefully adorned with leaves of green buttercream on the sides and decorated with fresh fruit on top.
I’ve probably eaten at least a hundred servings over the years. Growing up in Los Angeles, I watched cake become something of a status symbol. Besides the right bag, car and social circle, this was the cake you needed at your party. At closing time, a 9-inch pie cost $100.
People made sure the cake appeared in any party photos. They nodded in approval as it was brought to the table.
Fans of the bakery, and the triple berry pie in particular, flooded the comments on the Instagram post announcing the closure.
“Berberry pie is a part of my childhood and my memories forever,” Lauren Ireland wrote. “My own wedding, friends’ weddings, days of celebration and when you just wanted to make someone’s day happier.”
“This is truly the end of an era,” wrote Scotty Cunha.
“Oh no, this is very sad. Thanks for all the memories. “The three berry cake will remain a legend…” wrote food writer Esther Tseng.
Many imitators have emerged over the years, including Whole Foods’ Berry Chantilly Cake, which features a vanilla cake with chantilly frosting and berries. But there is only one triple berry.
What will be the next “it” cake in Los Angeles? I suggest République’s Salted Caramel Chocolate, Valerie Confections’ Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake, or any of Hannah Ziskin’s cakes at Quarter Sheets.
Times staff writer Sarah Mosqueda contributed to this report.
