From the moment you enter, you can smell the deliciousness of Amy’s Bread.
For the past 25 years, Amy Scherber has stuck to her mission of creating a “neighborhood” bakery that sells foods that are as good as they look.
But don’t let that corner-store-feel fool you. She’s grown Amy’s Bread into a New York City institution that employs nearly 200 people and delivers to hundreds of wholesale customers on a daily basis.
“Right now we’re shaping baguettine rolls. Hundreds of these everyday. They’ll be delivered restaurants all over midtown this evening,” Scherber said.
Scherber started out in marketing but quickly realized she wanted a career working with food. After graduating from cooking school, she discovered her real passion was baking and spent time in France, learning from the best.
“There wasn’t that much good bread in New York,” she said. “I wanted to make great crusty bread with big holes inside delicious nice grains, so I went to Europe and I learned a lot about bread and brought it back here.”
“Did you know what you were getting yourself into?” Tamsen Fadal said.
“It was a little tiny shop with only bread at that time. And people kept asking me do you have something sweet? And I was like, it’s a bread bakery, don’t you get it ? Amy’s Bread? And then finally we need something sweet,” Scherber said.
We were lucky enough to get a tour of her baking facility in Long Island City, where all the “magic” takes place.
Through all her success, Scherber has not forgotten her roots. She loves to give back to the local community and pay it forward, by helping other women break into the bread business.
“No women ever really run bread bakeries so I always love to find women who love baking and teach women and its really gratifying to see people become great bakers afterward,” Scherber said.
So whether your taste is sweet or savory, Amy’s has you covered.
“It has to feel good for you, everyone always says, ‘I love Amy’s Bread!'” Fadal said.
“I feel it’s really special. I feel really proud of that and that we’re part of the neighborhood and part of the community and greater New York,” Scherber said.
