DAYTON — A longtime local bakery is temporarily closed after a fire.
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Smales Pretzel Bakery, a Dayton favorite for 118 years, is tucked into a quiet neighborhood off of Xenia Avenue. They’ve been in this location for 98 years, but a fire in the oven on Sunday caused them to temporarily close.
Emma Smales, owner of the hometown pretzel bakery, said the fire was “definitely not in the plans.”
Dayton firefighters put the fire out quickly, but it’s the second oven problem this summer. They also had a breakdown in May.
“We got that repaired in about two weeks,” she said. “Cost about $18,000 dollars.”
As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, the business also had a break-in and theft in the middle of this. They’re working hard to make repairs and reopen as soon as possible.
“We’ve had our oven since 1961 and we really think our oven is a big part of the flavors of the pretzels,” Smales said.
Customers have responded big-time to the latest shutdown on social media. One commenter said, “Thank God, I don’t want to live in a world without Smales.”
“It’s not easy and I think anyone running a small business right now would tell you exactly the same thing,” Smales said.
She admits they’ve been rebuilding their business ever since the Covid shutdowns. She said serving pretzels in Dayton for 118 years, being a fifth-generation owner, is an honor.
“I think we have really good pretzels, so obviously that’s part of it but I think nostalgia is the other big piece of it,” she said.
They wanted to reopen to the public this week, but their contractor is waiting for parts to be delivered. Smales said she’ll keep everyone informed about reopening on social media.
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