March 04, 2026
Molly McVety/PhillyVoice
Metropolitan Bakery will be closing its Rittenhouse location on 19th Street after a deal was reached with Merzbacher's in Germantown.
Metropolitan Bakery will close its Rittenhouse location at 262 S. 19th St. on Sunday, March 15, after over 32 years in business.
Owners Wendy Smith Born and James Barrett announced the closure on social media Wednesday morning, but they said its breads, rolls and granola would be baked by Merzbacher's in Germantown and still be available at shops and markets around the region.
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“It has been an honor to serve you and to be part of your holidays, celebrations and daily life,” the owners wrote in a joint statement. “Thank you for everything, Philadelphia. Be good to each other.”
Merzbacher’s bakery purchased Metropolitan’s brand and will take over its wholesale operations the day after its closure. It reassured customers in an online statement that recipes, production methods and delivery rhythms will “remain familiar” in an online statement.
“We’re honored that they chose us to carry the work forward,” Merzbacher’s wrote on Instagram. “The bread you love isn’t going anywhere. Same recipes, same delivery, same care."
Pete Merzbacher started his artisanal bread business, formerly called Philly Bread, in 2013. After its 2020 rebrand, Merzbacher’s opened its current 4,800-square-foot production warehouse and retail center at 4530 Germantown Ave., where it supplies dozens of restaurants and grocers in the area and serves daily customers via its walkup window.
Merzbacher said he hopes to hire as many of Metropolitan’s employees as possible during the transition. Barrett will stay with the company as a consultant overseeing production, according to the Inquirer.
The co-owners, who first met while working at White Dog Cafe, opened Metropolitan Bakery in 1993 after bonding over their passion for high-quality breads and pastries.
Over the years, its locally sourced ingredients and painstakingly thorough process have earned the bakery a devoted customer base that includes some of the city’s biggest names in dining including Barbuzzo, Farmicia, Vernick Food & Drink and Michelin Star-awarded Friday Saturday Sunday.
Representatives with the bakeries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
"To Wendy and James, thank you for your trust," Merzbacher's social media post said. "We're honored to keep the ovens on and the bread moving. We'll do what we've always done: show up early, bake great bread and take care of the people who rely on it."
