Kunst Bakery under new management, to give student discounts on Saturdays

Although the same aroma of moist sticky cinnamon buns or freshly baked Italian bread continues… Although the same aroma of moist sticky cinnamon buns or freshly baked Italian bread continues to waft from the front doors of Kunst Bakery, the ownership of the business has changed.

In early December 2002, Peter Kribel took over ownership of Kunst Bakery from the former owners and siblings Ruth La Vallee and Paul Kunst. The bakery has been serving the Oakland community since 1945.

“I like serving people and I love the community here,” La Vallee said.

La Vallee and Kunst have worked in the bakery since the mid-1940s. The two took the business over when their father, Peter, died in 1973.

“I feel at home here,” La Vallee said. “This is a great business to be in; the people are wonderful that come in [to the bakery].”

Now that La Vallee and Kunst are both in their mid-70s, they decided it was soon time to retire.

“We’ve been here 57 years and we’re plain tired,” La Vallee said. “We’ll still be around if they need our help and we’ll be here for the holidays.”

“I always wanted to get my own bakery,” Kribel said. “I’m excited about the possibility to create new products.”

Located at 3610 Forbes Ave. in the heart of Oakland, Kunst Bakery has seen various shops come and go in the area, but according to Kribel, the bakery plans to stay. In hopes to create more student business, Kunst Bakery will be offering a 10 percent discount to all students on Saturdays.