Arizmendi Bakery Lakeshore Remodel

Oakland, CA

Arizmendi Bakery Customer Area with custom seating, curved display soffit over tiled front sales counter and self-serve pastry and bread display cases
Arizmendi Bakery Customer Area with recycled wood tables, benches and window bar seating
Arizmendi Bakery Customer Area looking from front side across seating, point of sale area, customers and bakery items in custom self-serve cases.
Arizmendi Bakery custom self-serve display cases for baked goods, made of wood with clear acrylic doors.
Arizmendi Kitchen Area looking toward front window. Prep stations, pizza boxes and rolling bread racks are ready for work and customers.

Arizmendi Bakery Lakeshore Remodel

Oakland, CA

  • Year Built: 2018 - 2021

    The Bakery Was Bursting at the Seams

    This beloved bakery had gotten so popular there were often lines out the door onto Oakland’s busy Lakeshore Avenue. Once inside it was difficult for customers to navigate between self-service areas, fellow customers and the service counter. Workspace for bakers was equally cramped. Levitch designed and built a complete remodel for the space.

    • Levitch worked closely with the owners, a cooperative, to reorganize and reconfigure all spaces for better work and traffic flow within the same footprint.

    • To allow for funding over time as well as intense periods of construction during scheduled bakery closures, many over national holidays, the construction occurred in three phases from back to front.

    • The first phase included creating a walk-in refrigerator at the rear courtyard and an ADA compliant Restroom.

    • Phases two and three reconfigured and improved baking areas, created a larger customer area, added new flooring, lighting and other finishes.

    • Previous display cases had been hard to open when the bakery was crowded, so our work also included custom casework for self-service access to baked goods and a new curved service counter. The soffit above mirrors the arc of the service counter and offers space for menu boards and other items for sale.

    • New seating and tables are fabricated from reclaimed lumber and steel tubing, and there is a new customer handwash station.

    • This project earned NARI’s (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) award for Best Commercial Interior in 2021.

    Photography by Treve Johnson

  • See how things looked before we started, below, including before & after floor plans.

  • Levitch’s complete remodel of Oakland’s Arizmendi Bakery Lakeshore won NARI’s Best Commercial Interior award in 2021!

    We earned this award from NARI.org (the National Association of the Remodeling Industry) in their annual Remmy/BARA recognition of “excellence in remodeling in the Bay Area”.

    Projects completed in the last two years by members of one of three Bay Area NARI chapters were eligible. Entries were judged by industry experts, who scored submissions on problem-solving, functionality of the solution, innovation, craftsmanship, aesthetics, degree of difficulty and the entry presentation itself. For more information about the project, see the Project Details section above.

    Learn more about the bakery, a member of the Arizmendi/Cheese Board cooperative, and their daily selection of pastries, breads and pizza. They also offer seasonal and holiday treats.

Process

Bakery interior during construction with custom millwork and framing in progress, showing the transformation of the customer service area prior to final finishes.
View from the front of the bakery looking toward the production area, highlighting open shelving, warm lighting, and the visual connection between customer space and baking operations.
Interior of Arizmendi Bakery showing the finished production floor with wood display cases, service counters, and commercial baking equipment arranged for efficient workflow and customer visibility.
Completed bakery service area featuring wood counters, menu boards, espresso equipment, and open views to the baking area, creating a welcoming and transparent customer experience.
Completed front service counter with warm wood finishes and integrated display areas, designed to improve customer interaction, workflow, and accessibility.
Customer service area before renovation, showing dated counters and circulation patterns, providing context for how the remodel improved flow, visibility, and accessibility.
Open bakery production space with large wood prep tables, commercial ovens, and staff circulation paths, showing a functional layout designed for efficient bread and pastry preparation.
Exterior view of a newly constructed walk in cooler enclosure with integrated bike rack, demonstrating efficient use of limited urban space behind the Arizmendi Bakery.
Exterior trash enclosure behind Arizmendi Bakery designed to screen waste and improve site organization while maintaining access for service and collection.
Custom solid wood tables under construction during the Arizmendi Bakery remodel, showing hand finished surfaces prepared for use in customer seating areas.
Custom built wooden pastry display cases on casters inside Arizmendi Bakery, designed to showcase baked goods while allowing flexibility within the production and retail space.
Curved wood service counter under construction, showing integrated storage and work surfaces that support efficient customer service and improve accessibility at the point of sale.
New stainless steel cooking and refrigeration equipment installed at Arizmendi Bakery, reflecting durable materials selected for high volume commercial food production.
Curved soffit under construction above the service counter at Arizmendi Bakery, framing the customer area and concealing mechanical systems during the remodel process.
Stainless steel commercial sink and prep counter at Arizmendi Bakery with open shelving below, supporting food safety, organization, and efficient daily kitchen operations.
Custom built wood bench under construction inside the bakery, demonstrating handcrafted millwork designed to support seating, durability, and ADA compliant circulation.
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