My name is Cindy and I’m a
breadaholic. It's been 30 minutes since I ate a piece of bread.
As Tim learned early in
our relationship, not only is an empty bread bin a sin, it’s a potential
point-of-contention to be avoided at all costs. No wonder, then, that I found a
beautiful French baguette waiting for me in the kitchen when I returned from a
five-day business trip last week.
I blame my bread addiction
on Helms Bakery, which, when we were kids, delivered bread and other baked
goods to our block. Before the cream-colored-and-blue van approached, the
driver would toot a high-pitched whistle that would lure entire families out to
the street. My sister loved Helms pound cake, but I only ever had eyes for their
fresh-baked bread. It never was the best bread I’ve eaten, but it was delivered right to our door, so who could resist? I have loved bread ever since.
The bakery closed in 1969.
Today the building houses several furniture stores and some of Culver City’s
trendiest restaurants. The largest store, HD Buttercup, also has a small Helms
Bakery Museum that never fails to attract locals of a certain age. We were
there this morning and couldn’t resist snapping some photos.
Small but memory-inducing museum, located inside HD
Buttercup on the east wall
Helms: the official bread of the 1932 Olympics in L.A.
A van from our youth
Wooden drawers that pulled out and held donuts, cookies, etc.
Inside the bakery today: HD Buttercup
Inside the bakery today: Scandinavian Design
Helms Bakery vans and other service vehicles of our youth
1 comment:
I remember my Brownie group taking a field trip to the Helms Bakery and how much fun that was. Of course we also received some samples. YUM!
I also remember the bakery coming around and how great it was to get bread delivered to our neighborhood and specific street.
Those were the days my friend.
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