Houston Business Journal - January 2

Dessert Gallery building new commissary

Dessert Gallery Bakery & Cafe is building a commissary to serve the cafe's three area stores as well as a new national online store.

The new 5,000 square foot commissary is under construction at 8813 Knight Rd., near 610 East and Fannin and is slated to open for business in mid February. The commissary will employ approximately 20 people and will more than double the cafe's capacity, said Sara Brook, owner of Dessert Gallery Bakery & Cafe. The commissary, which will include 80-quart mixers, double rack ovens and huge coolers and freezers, will also provide more space for product packaging and a loading dock for shipping.

"We've been working in about 1,600 square feet, so we're more than tripling our space," Brook said.

The Houston-based company's current bakery, located at the Dessert Gallery on Kirby, will eventually be converted to event space for private parties, says Brook. The new facility will serve as Dessert Gallery's bakery and distribution center for its locations at Upper Kirby, Post Oak and a new location in Sugar Land, which is scheduled to open in May.

The new online store will debut nationally early this year, says Brook.