Home / Business and Economy / Bakery Rises Above Fires, Floods, and Theft
Bakery Rises Above Fires, Floods, and Theft
14 Sep
Summary
- Rize Up Bakery, San Francisco's first Black-owned sourdough bakery, celebrated its grand opening.
- The bakery endured theft, a neighboring fire causing flooding, and rapid growth challenges.
- The new cafe offers elevated tartines, grilled cheese, and cakes, alongside loaves to go.
Rize Up Bakery, San Francisco's first Black-owned sourdough establishment, has celebrated the grand opening of its long-awaited cafe. Owner Azikiwee Anderson, a former private chef and pro inline skater, designed the space to reflect his unique background. The bakery, which began in 2020 as a healing project, has faced numerous obstacles on its path to opening the cafe.
Over the past few years, Rize Up Bakery endured a costly theft in 2023 and significant flood damage from a fire next door in 2024, totaling over $120,000. These events, coupled with the rapid growth of its wholesale accounts, created financial strain and operational complexities. Anderson recently hired a CFO to better manage opportunities and focus on sustainable growth.
The new 1,000-square-foot cafe offers a curated menu featuring items like a hot smoked trout tartine ($18) and an ube mascarpone tartine ($14). Customers can also enjoy simpler offerings such as sourdough toast with butter ($6) or a grilled cheese on masala sourdough ($16), along with daily cakes and cookies. The cafe aims to be a cornerstone of SoMa's post-pandemic recovery.
