Sweet 16th Bakery in East Nashville has officially closed its doors. The bakery, which opened nearly 19 years ago, became a popular destination, for locals and tourists alike, thanks to its daily homemade offerings of cakes, tarts, scones, muffins and more, along with numerous savory options as well.

Sweet 16th Bakery was owned by Ellen Einstein along with her husband, Dan, a record producer and co-founder of John Prine‘s Oh Boy Records who passed away earlier this year.

“A lot of people have said to us it’s not just what you bake,” Ellen told News Channel 5. “It’s not just the product you put out, but it’s you and Dan. We have tried very hard to make this a place where you felt like home,”

Ellen also shared the disappointing news on the bakery’s website.

“Over 18 and a half years ago, Dan and I had this crazy idea to open a bakery in East Nashville,” Ellen wrote. “We didn’t really know what we were doing. We just knew that we wanted the business to be an integral part of our community in East Nashville. Each year that went by, we didn’t know how we would continue, but somehow we did.”

Ellen went on to explain that her husband was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, but continued to work, even after his chemo treatments.

“After Dan passed in January, I knew that returning to the place we had  built together from the ground up needed to reopen,” Ellen said. “But now, after time has passed, I realized that Dan is not by my side anymore, and it’s gotten very hard to continue on.

“So as of October 29th, I will be closing Sweet 16th Bakery and moving on to a new chapter in my life,” she concludes. “East Nashville is such an amazing place to live with such an amazing community. We could not have done this without your love and support for all these years. Thank you so much for the sweet times.”

Sweet 16th Bakery had gained a massive following over the years, including Nashville Mayor John Cooper, who visited the bakery one last time over the weekend.

Today I visited @Sweet16thbakery in East Nashville. For nearly 19 years, Ellen Einstein and her husband Dan have offered sweet treats to many loyal customers before his passing. Honored to present her with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of all Nashville residents. pic.twitter.com/prXX9FlfaH

— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) October 28, 2022

“Today I visited Sweet 16th Bakery in East Nashville,” Cooper wrote, sharing a few photos of his visit. “For nearly 19 years, Ellen Einstein and her husband Dan have offered sweet treats to many loyal customers before his passing. Honored to present her with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of all Nashville residents.”

According to Sweet 16th Bakery’s Facebook page, Bill’s Sandwich Shop will be taking over the space early next year.

Photo Credit: Sweet 16th Bakery Instagram