Real Estate

Fill The Spot: 184 State Street

Little Sister's Bake Shop closed on Jan. 5

Last week's Fill the Spot column on the closing of the Hearsay Bar & Grille caught several people by surprise and brought a number of sympathetic comments. Some readers also made note of the sudden closing of a handful of small businesses in New London, including The Pub and TSETSE Gallery. Just a day before the Hearsay's closing was the last day for another New London eatery: Little Sister's Bake Shop.

This bakery opened at 184 State Street, one of the ground level retail spaces in the Crocker House building. On its Facebook page, which first appeared in October of 2011, the business described itself as making fresh baked treats and goodies, with special orders available with 24 hours' notice. The menu included quiches, salads, breadsticks, cookies, and several other items.

The Little Sister's sign still hangs over the space while a menu remains on the chalkboard. The bright pink tables and chairs for dining out are folded up behind the counter, where bakery cases have been cleared out. A sign in the door lists Jan. 5 as the last day, invites customers to continue following the business on Facebook and its website, and declares, "We sincerely thank you for all of your patronage and support."

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I was deeply saddened by this closing. It was always a treat just to walk into the bakery and take in the amazing aromas, and I had to restrain myself from loading up on too many goods. Now I wish I had given in and bought those extra cookies or cupcakes.

There's a bit of a silver lining to this closing. A worker at Fiddleheads Food Co-op, which sells a number of products from local businesses, said Little Sister's will continue to provide its goods there wholesale. When I visited the co-op several days after Jan. 5, it was still possible to get a fresh Little Sister's muffin, scone, or whoopie pie. The business also has a food truck selling gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.

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This spot is located at the heart of State Street, across from City Hall and the Harris Building and near the main entrance for the numerous apartments in the Crocker House. What would you like to see in this space? Let us know in the comments.

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