Bellingham’s Avenue Bread has been quietly operating under new ownership since Jan. 1

One of Whatcom County’s most beloved businesses has been under new ownership since the beginning of the year, although you likely didn’t notice a taste of change.

Avenue Bread , a bakery and cafe with multiple restaurant locations across Whatcom County, is now owned by a new team of co-owners, Jamie Smeall and John MacFarlane. The previous owners were a husband and wife duo, Wendy and John DeFreest, who decided to sell the business after owning it for 25 years.

“I guess sometimes you just know when it’s time. John and Wendy have spent 25 years raising a family while balancing the demands of small business ownership. They became increasingly excited for their next chapter of retirement in Friday Harbor. We’ve worked closely together for so long, we’re passionate about the people and relationships that surround the business,” Smeall and MacFarlane wrote in an email to The Bellingham Herald.

The sale was finalized Jan. 1, and even with the quiet change in ownership, the popular business hasn’t missed a beat in recent months.

“While we plan for no significant changes to our Lynden, Sunnyland and Fairhaven locations we are in the early planning stages of refreshing our Railroad location,” Smeall and MacFarlane wrote. The business partners also said they don’t plan to make significant changes to the popular menus.

“For us the challenge of taking over a local institution like Avenue Bread, building upon the trust of our current crew and loyal patrons while having an eye on the future is exciting.”

“Every great business must continue to evolve and progress with its community! It’s an exciting time for Bellingham as our community continues to grow and we embrace to challenge of growing with it and staying in tune with what the people want and expect from their favorite breakfast and lunch spot,” Smeall and MacFarlane wrote.

The new co-owners, Smeall and MacFarlane, have worked together since 2016 and look forward to investing into Avenue Bread.

“Like Wendy and John, we’re both parents of a couple of kiddos so it’s hard not to view our restaurants as a living, loving ‘thing’... something that needs nurturing and passion. We share that,” Smeall and MacFarlane wrote.

Avenue Bread has four locations in Whatcom County, three in Bellingham and one in Lynden. The Railroad location is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Sunday at 1313 Railroad Ave. in Bellingham. The Fairhaven location is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 1135 11th St. in Bellingham. The Sunnyland location is open from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 2301 James St. in Bellingham. The Lynden location is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 444 Front St. in Lynden.