Jill Barber, the renowned pastry chef from Blackbird Baking Co. and more recently the Paradise on Bloor group, has opened her own shop.
Barbershop Patisserie is a European-style pastry shop featuring an array of French-inspired baked goods made by Barber. While many may see a pastry shop as the quintessential spot to pick up a sweet treat, Barber emphasizes her love of savoury pastries as well, and is excited to offer a variety of pastries.
“Everything that I make is something that I would eat,” Barber says.
Barber was laid off during the pandemic, and jumped at the chance to open her own shop when a retail space became available in Little Italy.
“Location is the entire reason why I went for the project,” says Barber, who lives within walking distance of the shop. “This is an area I’m always in, I’m always walking around”
Barber says there was no intention to open up the shop. She had known the previous occupants who ran a bakery there before, and when they decided to leave the space, she made a decision to bring her tasty talents to her own community.
“I didn’t really have any plans to open anything but I just thought that this was a once in a lifetime find for a spot,” says Barber. “I just had to go for it.”
Since Barber opened during the pandemic, a feat many have not dared to attempt, she says her operations are being kept at minimal level. Barber works alone, producing a limited selection of pastry goods on reduced store hours.
“I did all the [interior] work myself, I don’t have any investors, so I needed to open very small,” she says.
Barber was very mindful of what her business plan would look like when deciding the shop’s set up. She doesn’t plan on having any indoor seating, even after restrictions are lifted, and the shop is designed to be takeout-forward.
“It’s a pretty COVID-friendly business model," she says.
Barber had her soft-opening in late November, and is slowly working on offering new items. Recently, she announced a line of cakes are soon to be available to order for pick-up.
Currently, the store is only offering takeaway orders, but Barber is working on an online-ordering platform. Barbershop Patisserie is located at 859 College Street near Ossington Avenue.
