Way Back Wednesday in Calhoun County---May 2-8

Bakeries in the United States date back to the earliest days of the colonial period where the institutions served as social meeting places as well as food establishments. After the Civil War, industrialization came to the U. S. and it changed society. Baking at home on a small scale began to die out because women and children were now employed in the industrial mills. Since was time spent in the workforce, families purchased bread, cakes, pies, and other baked goods from the local baker. The city of Anniston was no different in 1883.

One of the first bakers to arrive in Anniston was Charles Nonnenmacher, a native of Germany who immigrated in the 1870s. He came to the city from Atlanta with his family as soon as Anniston opened to the public. Nonnenmacher established a bake shop at the intersection of West 11th Street and Gurnee Avenue only two blocks from the Anniston Manufacturing Company. The bakery building was built a few years after he arrived in town. The Nonnenmacher family lived next door to the bakery in a house provided by the Woodstock Iron Company. The brick ovens used to bake the bread were installed in the basement of the bakery building. The Nonnenmacher Bakery was famous for its almond macaroons, pound cakes, and light bread. Mr. Nonnenmacher retired from the bakery business around 1920.

A competing bakery, owned by John Antonio, operated in the 1000 Block of Noble Street. Antonio opened the bakery with a partner. The partner passed away and his share of the business was sold to Benjamin Held in the early 20th Century. Held and Antonio Bakery was eventually bought out by E. C. Lloyd in the mid-1920s. Like many of the citizens of Anniston, both owners were immigrants. The Held family immigrated from Austria-Hungary in 1898 and by 1900 the family had quickly moved from Atlanta to Anniston. Antonio immigrated from Greece in the 1890s with his relatives, the Jebeles who operated a candy and confectionery.

E. C. Lloyd, of Rome, Georgia, came to Anniston in the early part of the 20th Century. He was not only a baker but also an entrepreneur. He purchased both the Nonnenmacher Bakery and the Held and Antonio Bakery which he consolidated into his own Lloyd’s Bakery. Lloyd’s enterprise grew quickly and he settled into a large facility in the 1300 block of Noble Street. To advertise his “golden-crusted bread”, Lloyd used his own sky-writing plane. The bakery closed in 1952 but Lloyd moved on to other business ventures. In the mid-1950s, Lloyd’s Cafeteria and Bakery opened in the old bakery location. The cafeteria offered freshly baked goods including cakes. The cafeteria was later purchased by J. W. Gardner who operated the cafeteria, bakery and grill until the mid-1970s.

There were other town bakeries including Lloyd’s Sweet Shop. The sweet shop opened in the early 1930s and served not only fresh baked goods but also full meals. The store was on the first floor of 1016 Noble Street while the second floor was renovated to serve as a ballroom and rental space for private parties. The business operated less than ten years and came to an abrupt end due to fire.

Two of the last bakeries in Anniston to close were Little Chef in the 1800 Block of Noble Street and Electrik Maid Bakery in the 1000 Block of Noble Street. Little Chef was known mainly for its homemade donuts while Electrik Maid was a more traditional bakery. Electrik Maid opened in the early 1940s and operated until the late 1980s. The bakery served pastries including elephant ears, almond cookies, and various cakes made a local German baker.

Traditional bakeries have become a thing of the past. Now the few bakeries in Anniston are located in the chain stores. Sadly, many of the bakery recipes were never written down or saved. But for those Annistonians who grew up with the old bakeries, the simple mention of “Bambi Bread” from Lloyd’s or the almond cookies from Electrik Maid can elicit a smile and a wonderful memory.

To learn more about the history of Calhoun County pick up a copy of Images of America: Calhoun County (ISBN 978-0738589985), Anniston (ISBN 978-0738506012), or Anniston Revisited (ISBN 978-1467114752) by Kimberly O’Dell.