The reimagined bakery that’s part of the redevelopment of a former paper mill in Kalamazoo County now is open.
Mackenzies Bakery, part of The Mill at Vicksburg redevelopment project by investor and Vicksburg native Chris Moore, opened Thursday, April 14, at the freshly renovated 1,700-square-foot space at 103 E. Prairie St. in downtown Vicksburg, a hamlet 12 miles south of Kalamazoo with a population of 3,400.
Moore purchased the bakery formerly located in Kalamazoo almost a year ago to the date and transformed it into a storefront that offers artisanal breads, cookies, muffins, jams and coffee. The new Vicksburg location includes plans for a wholesale operation.
The bakery renovation is part of a $100 million, multiyear renovation of a former paper mill into a mixed-use attraction. The project’s intent is to attract more people to Vicksburg’s downtown area, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
“I fondly remember walking with grade school classmates to downtown Vicksburg with a quarter in hand excited to buy a turnover from Otto’s Bakery,” Moore said. “My hope is that a visit to Mackenzies Bakery will create a new generation’s worth of memories for residents and visitors in our hometown.”
To ensure continuity through the transition, Moore engaged the bakery’s former owner, John MacKenzie, as a consultant.
“Chris Moore and his team have really captured the essence of a small-town bakery while incorporating modern functionality,” said MacKenzie after touring the storefront in March. “The space has so much natural light and charm, along with the best baking oven in the industry. It just brings a smile to my face knowing the legacy continues with this Vicksburg location.”
More information is at mackenziesbakery.com.
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