Over the weekend, several Bernal neighbors contacted Bernalwood to share the sad news that Pinkie’s Bakery at 833 Cortland will shutter at the end of this week. The Cortland closure comes shortly after the September announcement that Pinkie’s was closing its original SoMa store. Pinkie’s on Cortland opened just a year ago, after taking over the former Sandbox Bakery space.
Neighbor Julie visited Pinkie’s on Cortland on Saturday, and she reported:
I don’t have many details. I went in this morning to see if they had English muffins, and the two young women behind the counter said they were sold out— and, by the way, this was the last week to buy them because Pinkie’s was shutting its doors on Friday.
I said, “You mean the SOMA location, right?” and they said “No, this one too. We just found out yesterday.”
Neighbor Joshua heard the same:
While at Pinkie’s this morning for my Saturday doughnut, I was told by the staff that they will be closing. Their last day will be on Friday. […] I think it’s unfortunate. They do a killer doughnut these days and my dogs go crazy for their home made dog treats.
Awww. Bernalwood reached out to Pinkie’s proprietor Cheryl Storms to see if the reports were true. Cheryl replied:
Yes it’s true. Our Folsom location and our sister restaurant Citizen’s Band shut down last month… Basically it is taking Pinkie’s on Cortland down with it. That’s pretty much all I can say about the details.
It’s pretty devastating; the Bernal bakery was what I always wanted, the quintessential cute neighborhood spot with great customers and neighbors. We were pretty busy and with our booming wholesale pastry and bread business, it was actually profitable. It’s a total bummer that our failure with the Folsom location is so deep that it is affecting the Bernal bakery so much that we can no longer stay in business. The hardest thing is letting go of the employees. Many of them have been with me for years and have always been loyal and like family to me. I hate letting them down.
Personally, I will be working part-time as a pastry chef consultant while I figure things out and spend more time with my baby daughter.
Bernal was really good to me and I will miss the neighborhood and the bakery and all of our regulars, (some inherited from Sandbox and some newbies) especially all my fellow moms who I liked to chat with when I was at the bakery counter. There is such a great family community in Bernal Heights and I feel lucky to have been invited into that community when I took over Sandbox. Everyone has been so supportive and amazing.
Friday is our last day of business. I hope the next tenant at 833 Cortland is awesome, and keeps the neighborhood well-fed and caffeinated.
PHOTO: Pinkie’s Bakery last weekend, by Neighbor Julie
Bernalwood 
F*@k. What a bummer:( Pinkies had some of the best savory treats as well as the sweets. She will be sorely missed.
Sad to see them go. My wife and I live in SOMA and had our wedding cakes made by this bakery. (They were a giant hit!) When we moved here a year later, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Pinkie’s followed us to our new home and neighborhood. I hope you come back someday, here’s holding out hope! ❤
This is really sad. While Pinkie’s never came close to filling the space left by Sandbox in quality, they were always lovely people and it’s painful to see a healthy business taken down by its relationship to an unhealthy one. What a hard market, food service. It also leaves Bernal without a proper morning bakery. I hope some creative, talented baker will set down roots here again.
Sorry to hear it! Pinkie’s is a regular stop for my kids, my dog, and me on our weekend walks. I guess yesterday was our final visit – if only I had known!
Bummer. I loved Sandbox, and loved Pinkie’s. I liked patronizing all of the cafe’s from Pinkie’s, Martha’s, Passive Aggressive Grounds (a pet name), and Little Bee. But Pinkie’s still had great pastries and my fave De La Paz coffee.
Oh no! This is such sad news for Cheryl and for the neighborhood! We as a community gave Pinkie’s a tough hazing of a welcome — but it took me no time at all to fall in love with their delicious sandwiches, sweets, and coffee. And now I’m just as disappointed as I was when I heard that Sandbox was closing. At least this time I have some mono no aware experience to help me be patient and hopeful… Cheryl, I’m really sorry you’re going through this, and I wish you the very best for your next venture.
Bring Sandbox back!
I will miss Pinkie’s but am praying that a French bakery will take its place.
That was predictable.
Pinkie’s bought a wonderful functioning bakery with a broad community of customers, and destroyed it. The contrast was immediate and stark. Those awful doughnuts. The ridiculous thing they did to Sandbox’s kid treat sensation, the pig-in-a-blanket. I could go on but why bother.
They could have just kept doing what Sandbox was doing, to great profit and appreciation. As far as I am concerned they were just taking up valuable space on cortland for the past two years.
A side note, coffee shop pastries alll over the mission will hopefully improve now, since Pinkie’s “supplied” ritual, grand, and numerous others.
Good riddance.
wow that was really mean. i hope that someday you have a dream and have it crumble before you and someone shits on it like you just did to me.
you are not a nice person and i am glad you didn’t come in to my bakery.
It’s amazing how some people use comment sections to be complete assholes. Try opening a business sometime and putting your whole self out there. And while you’re at it, grow a pair and stop trolling comment sections. You may not have liked the pastries, but show some respect, ya jerkoff.
Right on, Cheryl. If only you could serve him a shit filled croissant.
Cheryl, don’t listen to the haters. Pinkies was great in its own way. The bread was great! the designs were great, sandwiches were very good, many great items
Dude, for shame.
Have you not heard the expression, if you can’t say something nice keep your piehole shut?
We’re all in this together. Kindness is a thing that helps. Consider that the next time someone is kind to you.
Not super surprising. I really tried to like them but with so many good bakeries in this town, they just didn’t stack up. I was disappointed every visit for 3-4 times, then I just gave up.
Hopefully someone will take it over and do great work like Sandbox did (or like Neighbor, B, or Arsicault do).
Our family really liked Pinkies and felt it did a fine job of carrying on the legacy of Sandbox. Our daughter loved the croissants and it was a Saturday morning tradition of ours to grab croissants before going to “Breakfast with Enzo”. Cheryl, I hope this is just a short term challenge and wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors.
Ah, man, Cheryl, whatta bummer! I somehow got stuck on watching the HBC and literally would drool over the innovative, beautiful, delicious looking treats that you made (wish smell-a-vision was a real thing!). I was actually shocked you didn’t win (totally was rooting for you). Once I saw you introduce yourself and said you were in the bay area, I was so stoked! I couldn’t wait to patron your place for what I’m sure are some tasty pastries. I refused to look up Pinkies until the end of the season in fear something would’ve been leaked about the winner. With that said, I’m so sorry and bummed to learn about the unfortunate closing of your bakery (as I’m sure you are, too). I wish you good luck in your future endeavors and hope to get a chance to sample your baked goods one day. I hope you’re getting the opportunity to do some soul searching, spending time with your family, reflecting positively on the shitty outcome of your business, finding inner peace, and figuring shit out. Good luck to you, girl! Hope to see you back in action soon!
Cheers and Merry Christmas!
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