Flour Bakery + Cafe, a beloved local chain, will open its 10th location in April inside the Boston Common, the oldest public park in the United States and a central green space for Emerson College students. This new spot will replace Earl of Sandwich, which closed last August after operating for more than a decade in the historic concession stand.
The new Flour location, situated in a high-traffic area of the park, will serve the bakery’s signature items, including its famous sticky buns, which will be freshly baked throughout the day and served warm. Joanne Chang, the founder of Flour Bakery + Cafe, likened the experience to the nostalgic “Hot Now” Krispy Kreme neon signs, though she hinted they might not have such a sign. “We want it to be fresh out of the oven when you get it,” Chang said.
Chang, a Downtown resident, walks her dog, Beezy, through Boston Common regularly. When she learned that the city was accepting proposals to manage the concession stand, she saw an opportunity for Flour and decided to submit an application. In December, Flour was selected for the spot. The renovated stand will offer a “best of” menu that includes egg sandwiches, cookies, cakes, pies, and soft-serve ice cream in the summer months. New additions will also include biscuits for dogs and the possibility of a Flour hot dog. Chang expressed excitement about the potential for this new venture, saying, “We realized that this might actually be a thing.”
The stand will undergo updates to improve plumbing for an espresso machine, install additional electrical capacity for the soft-serve machine, and make general improvements to the space. The adjacent patio seating will also be reinstated for customers to enjoy their pastries in the park.
Flour’s existing locations, including in Harvard Square, Seaport, and Cambridgeport, are known for their proximity to busy transport hubs, catering to commuters. The new Boston Common location is expected to attract both local students, particularly from Emerson College, and tourists, as the Common draws around seven million visitors annually.
Emerson students were generally enthusiastic about the upcoming bakery. Freshman Aidan Brown, who had never visited Flour before, expressed excitement about the possibility of trying the soft-serve ice cream. Senior Nirvana Ragland found the location choice intriguing, acknowledging the potential for Flour to complement the coffee and bakery options already available nearby. Senior Eva Levin was also excited, saying that the new location would make her commute more enjoyable.
For Chang, opening a bakery at such a landmark location feels like a “full-circle moment.” As she walked past the concession stand in the snow in early February, she reflected on how Flour has been a part of Boston for 25 years, longer than many college students have been alive. “It’s kind of like our love letter to Boston,” she said.
You Might Be Interested In:
