A Bitter End for a Berkeley Institution

After half a century of serving the Elmwood neighborhood, Nabolom Bakery and Pizzeria is shutting its doors this Sunday. While the closure marks the end of an era for one of Berkeley’s most storied eateries, co-owners Sabra Stepak and Julia Elliott say the demise wasn’t caused by bad bread, but rather a volatile mix of economic pressure and political friction. According to the owners, the bakery became a target for boycotts following its vocal stances on social issues, including the display of Teach Palestine posters and murals supporting the defunding of police.

The fallout extended into the digital realm when the bakery was removed from Instagram after sharing an image featuring an anti-ICE message. The owners report that this loss of visibility led to a twenty percent drop in sales. Further tension arose locally through WhatsApp groups, Reddit, and email listservs where critics coordinated boycotts over the shop’s opposition to upzoning. Despite these conflicts, Stepak and Elliott maintain that they never intended to enter a popularity contest, choosing instead to prioritize authenticity over broad appeal.

However, ideology was only one piece of a larger financial puzzle. Like many independent businesses in the Bay Area, Nabolom struggled against skyrocketing utility bills, rising ingredient costs, and a brutal labor market. The owners noted that their staff simply could not afford to live in Berkeley while working at a bakery, leading to chronic understaffing and erratic operating hours toward the end. Even attempts to raise prices failed to move the needle on their bottom line.

Founded in 1976 as a worker collective, Nabolom survived various crises over five decades before being revived as a hybrid bakery and pizzeria in 2016. Though there has been a recent surge of nostalgic customers rushing back for one last taste of their famous cinnamon twists and sourdough pizzas, it hasn’t been enough to reverse the decision. As they prepare to lock up for good, Stepak and Elliott expressed hope that another passionate food lover might eventually step in to rescue the space and preserve it for future generations.