After more than two decades in business, Feel Good Bakery will close its doors on October 31, 2025. The announcement on the bakery’s website described the decision as “not easy,” made after “thoughtful consideration of all available options.” Feel Good’s patrons have been reassured that any existing pre-orders will be refunded, as online and pre-order sales have ceased effective immediately. For Alameda residents, the loss is deeply felt.
The bakery has been part of daily life for many Alamedans since 2002. Feel Good, which has two locations—the original bakery in Encinal Market Center and one in Alameda Marketplace on Park Street—has long maintained its mission of “raising the bar on bread in the Bay Area.” At its height, the bakery supplied 19 Bay Area farmers’ markets each week.
The company bakes with organic, locally sourced and high-quality ingredients. Flours, nuts, fruits, and cheeses come from local vendors who share the bakery’s quality standards. The bakery has maintained a strong commitment to environmental sustainability while also giving back to the community by donating excess food to local shelters.
Feel Good’s story begins with its founder, Rick S. Kellner, a New York City native who left a career in energy efficiency to pursue baking. He was inspired by his grandfather who was a baker on the Upper West Side in the 1920s. After attending the San Francisco Baking Institute, Kellner opened Feel Good Bakery in June 2004 along with Jacqueline Riley, the creator of Greens & Grains (now owned by Chef Ian Libberton). The family found Alameda to be a progressive and interesting place to run a business. Clearly, Kellner and Riley contributed a great deal to satisfying the hunger of local Alamedans. Editor’s note: an earlier version of this article incorrectly listed the year of opening as 2002.
Kellner approached breadmaking as both a science and a community service, insisting on sustainable and organic ingredients whenever possible. One of his most popular creations was the result of friendship—the cinnamon-sugar Zoe Bun, a pull-apart muffin made with croissant and danish dough rolled in a cinnamon sugar blend, was named for one of his classmates who first made it from leftover croissant dough. Kellner, who signed his emails “Chief Dough Dude,” said in a 2014 Alameda Magazine interview, “I consider it an honor and responsibility to feed the community.” Of the bakery’s name, he said, “I believe in what our name stands for. It dictates how we treat our customers, each other, our vendors and the community.” Kellner died unexpectedly on March 6, 2021, but his philosophy endured under new leadership.
The closing of Feel Good Bakery will mark the end of an Alameda institution. Manuel Quintero, of the original, long-standing Acapulco Restaurant that closed after over 50 years serving Alameda locals, acknowledged how hard it is to close a beloved restaurant. He said of Feel Good Bakery, “I enjoyed coming here… I live right around the corner and I come here every day.” One Facebook post focusing on the bakery’s closure received at least 125 comments from people grieving the loss, with some users sharing that they were accustomed to getting their kids cheesy breadsticks every day after school.
Other locals will undoubtedly miss the bakery’s daily coffee and treats. Popular items included the currant walnut loaf and the Nina cookie (a nod to Nina Simone), baguettes, kouign-amann, cheese sticks, opera cake, and cinnamon rolls with orange icing. Customers appreciated the gluten-free options and raved about the loaves of bread, which stand out even among the many sourdough competitors of San Francisco.
Competitor Crispian Bakery, located just across the street from Feel Good on Encinal Avenue, weighed in on the closure. In an Instagram post, the bakery said, per the San Francisco Chronicle, “I have thought of Feel Good as an elder brother ever since we opened,” suggesting a friendly rivalry that kept standards high. The bakery also reminded readers that “this sad news is a good reminder to visit and support” small businesses we love.
The next few weeks may be locals’ last chance to pick up Zoe Buns and Nina Cookies, but the impact Feel Good Bakery had on Alamedans for decades will not be soon forgotten.
Vivian Delchamps Wolf (English PhD, UCLA, 2022) is a professor of English at Dominican University of California. She is also a disability justice advocate, ballroom dancer, cat lover, and board game enthusiast.
