MacKenzie’s Bakery, which closed in Kalamazoo at the end of 2020, will open later this year in downtown Vicksburg under the ownership of Vicksburg native Chris Moore.
Moore acquired the bakery’s assets, including the brand, recipes and equipment, from Water Street Coffee Joint owner Mark Smutek in a deal completed April 19 on undisclosed terms. The new company will produce wholesale bread to area retailers and restaurants.
Mackenzies Vicksburg – the business will drop the upper-case K and the apostrophe – will open at a Moore-owned property 103 E. Prairie Street. The 1,700-square-foot location will primarily serve as a kitchen and distribution facility, but the bakery may eventually offer retail products via a small storefront space. The building is attached to 101 E. Prairie, also owned by Moore. The facades of the adjoining two-story buildings have been restored as part of Moore’s stated mission to revitalize downtown Vicksburg and restore many of its original buildings into historic centerpieces.
Moore, owner of The Mill at Vicksburg, an $80-million mixed-use project in development on the west end of the village, said he grew up enjoying MacKenzie’s baked goods and jumped at the chance to revitalize the brand and help bring more business to the village. Moore has said his vision is to create a “thriving Vicksburg.”
“Downtown Vicksburg is going to smell great with the aroma of Mackenzies bread,” Moore said. He resides in Seattle where he operates Concord Technologies and Old Stove Brewing, but frequently visits Vicksburg for extended periods.
After MacKenzie’s closed, the brand, web domain name and equipment were purchased by Smutek. Moore’s Vicksburg leadership team, led by Chief Operating Officer Jackie Koney, was approached by a mutual acquaintance who connected them to Smutek, leading to the acquisition.
The MacKenzie’s equipment has been transferred to Vicksburg, where Koney’s team will work to complete renovation plans.
Former owner John MacKenzie has signed on to help consult the new owners during startup. Additional full- and part-time staff will be hired to manage daily operations. The focus at first is on wholesale bread.
“We are looking to bring Mackenzies bread into store and dining establishments across Southwest Michigan, so our immediate focus is to gear up for large-scale bread production,” Koney said. “Once we get settled, we’ll evaluate expanding product offerings and delivery channels.”
The move into downtown Vicksburg was welcomed by Village leadership. “We look forward to welcoming a new iteration of MacKenzie’s into downtown Vicksburg,” said Village Manager Jim Mallery. “There is a lot of potential for growth with Mackenzies Vicksburg’s products and sales channels, so we are excited to have them up and running and adding to our downtown charm.”
Mackenzies Vicksburg expects to share more information on opening dates and product offerings later this summer.