Decades-Old Patisserie de Gascogne Closes All Locations Suddenly [Updated]

Decades-old Montreal bakery chain Patisserie de Gascogne completely shut down its operations on Thursday morning, according to a report in Le Journal de Montréal.

A notice signed by Gascogne’s president, Jean-Michel Cabanes, was posted on the door of all seven locations saying simply that after 60 years, the company was forced to cease operations for business reasons, and that its stores would remain closed until further notice. The note also directed staff to their union president, who had further information.

The shutter puts an estimated 250 workers out of their jobs, according to the Journal.

Update (January 5): The Gazette unearthed more details on Gascogne’s shutter — the newspaper’s report puts the number of job losses at 175, not 250. It also notes that employees should receive their final paychecks, and that Gascogne is planning to sell off assets before declaring bankruptcy in the near future. Cabanes also said the owners had no plans to make a public statement.

Reporters from TVA Nouvelles spoke with a pastry chef who had been at Gascogne for eight years, who said that while operations had slowed a little in recent times, the closure came as a surprise to staff.

The Montreal baking institution had locations in Mile End (Laurier), at the Jean-Talon Market, in Westmount (Sherbrooke West), Ville-St-Laurent (Marcel-Laurin), and further afield in Pointe-Claire, Laval, and Rosemère. It was founded in 1957 by French immigrants Francis and Lucie Cabanes, and stayed in the family ever since.

• Fermeture soudaine de la Pâtisserie de Gascogne [Le Journal de Montréal]
• Pâtisserie de Gascogne suddenly closes all seven outlets; 175 jobs lost [Montreal Gazette]