General Mills, Minneapolis, selected Lubeley's Bakery and Deli in St. Louis as the second grand prize winner in the company's 2008 Merchandising Makeover: Pillsbury Bakery Edition contest, presented in collaboration with the Retail Bakers of America (RBA). As the winners, brother and sister co-owners Robert Lubeley and Helen Lubeley Murray received $5,000 to remodel the family's 70-year-old bakery. The bakery recently added the finishing touches and unveiled the newly renovated bakery at a special grand reopening event on January 31.
A team from General Mills and the RBA worked with Lubeley's to evaluate the bakery and develop a blueprint that would make the biggest impact with their given budget. They moved forward with a plan that provided a fresh look and allowed the bakery to better merchandise its products.
According to Sue Lubeley Suardi, the bakery's head cake designer who entered the bakery in the sweepstakes, General Mills and the RBA representatives were valuable in helping the bakery develop working plans for the makeover. “They even helped us out with refurbishing the tile floor and painting the walls,” Suardi said.
Lubeley's used the prize money to purchase new racks, display fixtures and case lighting to better showcase its baked products. The bakery received a fresh and vibrant paint scheme of steel blue and yellow and a new wood grain deli counter.
Lubeley's Bakery and Deli is the oldest family-owned bakery in the St. Louis area and is widely known for its German pastries, tortes, stolen, Danish and special occasion cakes. Every morning the bakery's original owner, 96-year-old Helen Lubeley, still greets customers.
Two grand prize winners received a store-front makeover for their bakery valued up to $5,000 each in the 2008 Merchandising Makeover. Johnson's Bakery in Duluth, Minn., received the first grand prize and unveiled its new look at an event in September.
General Mills and RBA now are accepting applications for the 2009 Merchandising Makeover: Pillsbury Bakery Edition contest. Entries must be postmarked by May 1. For more information on how to enter and for merchandising tips from RBA President Lynn Schurman, visit www.modern-baking.com.
| General Mills and RBA Now Accepting Applications for 2009 Contest General Mills and RBA are now accepting applications for the 2009 Merchandising Makeover: Pillsbury Bakery Edition contest. One lucky grand prize winner will receive a store front merchandising makeover valued at $5,000. The Merchandising Makeover contest is open to members of the RBA. Members are asked to write an original essay explaining why their bakery could benefit from a makeover and submit up to five photos of their bakery. A panel of judges will evaluate entries based on the entrant's vision for their bakery's future, demonstrated passion for the baking industry, and effective articulation of how the bakery could benefit from a merchandising makeover. To become a member of the RBA and to obtain the official entry form and contest rules, bakery managers can visit www.rbanet.com. Entries must be postmarked by May 1, 2009. The grand prize winner will be selected on or around May 15, 2009. |