“We can't have someone out front who doesn't wait on customers, and to get the cake orders done is next to impossible,” Endthoff says. “All employees are customer service people, including production. Whatever you're doing, you stop and help the customer.”

One solution planned for the Franklin store is to create a decorating room in the back office where volume-production decorating will occur. The decorator in front will remain for theater, custom work and to interact with customers.

“The owners really did us [the bakery department] justice because they allow us to have more hours than the average store, so we can give customer service. They are totally OK with labor being a little higher in bakery because they want whatever is best for the customer,” Wollner says.

Customers are noticing. Sendik's bakeries contribute an average 5 1/2 percent to total store sales. The Franklin bakery is more than 6 1/2 percent.

“Bakery obviously is one of the premier perimeter departments, and [the Balistreris] are always looking for new ways to grow and get better,” Wollner adds. “We aren't perfect yet, but that's why we give managers the empowerment to come up with new ideas. Our whole philosophy is we need to figure out ways to be better.”

Sendik's FOOD MARKET
a sampling of prices

Bear claw	$1.69
Vanilla French donut	$0.75
Asiago bagel	$0.79
Broadway Bakery cream cheese croissant	$1.89
Whole wheat croissant	$1.59
Danish, small	$0.49
City Market scone	$1.69
Pretzel dinner roll	$0.49
Sourdough boule	$4.50
Ciabatta, 1 lb.	$3.19
Miller French baguette	$2.29
Bay Bakery lemon tart, 5 ins.	$4.49
Tiramisu	$4.19
Peanut squares	2.39
Yellow cake, 8 ins.	$8.00
Triple layer Boston cream pie, 8 ins.	$16.99
Peach pie	$8.99
Chocolate chip cookies, 12 count	$4.69
Elephant ears, 4 count	$3.99
Cupcakes, 6 count	$5.99

Sendik's FOOD MARKET
at a glance

Headquarters: Whitefish Bay, Wis.

Founded: 1949 by Thomas Balistreri

Web site: www.sendiks-foodmarket.com

Management: Ted, Nick, Patrick and Margaret Balistreri, owners; John Wollner, director of deli/cheese/bakery operations; Rhonda Klug, general bakery manager

Bakery contribution to store sales: 5.5 percent average per store

Number of stores/bakeries: 7/7

Competitors: Pick'n Save, Roundy's

Major bakery equipment: vertical mixer, proofer, rack oven, bread slicer, pan washer

Bakery supply distributors: BakeMark, Lapari, Sysco, Valley Bakers Cooperative Association,

Plans: open eighth location later this year, consider building a central bakery production facility