This small-town bakery draws crowds from across the Midwest, in just three hours a week

Greater Minnesota

This small-town bakery draws crowds from across the Midwest, in just three hours a week On Saturdays, the only day the shop in Newburg, Minn., is open, crowds of people — from as far as Chicago and Minneapolis — line up outside to get a taste of Irene Fishburn's made-from-scratch French baking.

The Minnesota Star Tribune October 5, 2024 at 12:00PMIrene Fishburn, owner of Newburg Vintage Home and Garden and Small Batch Bakery, says it can take up to four days to prepare for the bakery's three-hour opening. (Sean Baker/The Minnesota Star Tribune) "I have always believed that you should be able to get your ingredients as close to where you live, and this area is really good for that," said Irene, whose treats vary depending on what's available seasonally.

She then spends a full day weighing the ingredients and another day making the chocolate ganache and fruit fillings. Baking, with the help of a friend and Glenn, the resident dishwasher, begins Friday afternoon and goes through the night and into the early morning hours of Saturday.

By the time she opens her doors, Irene has gone more than 30 hours without sleep to ensure the croissants, cream puffs, cookies and other delectables are as fresh as possible.

"I think people know when it's fresh," Irene said. "They can taste the difference."

Asked whether the crowds have raised any concerns with neighbors in the tiny town where cats and dogs outnumber people, the Fishburns said the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.

"They say, 'You brought Newburg back to life,'" Glenn said.

about the writer Sean BakerSean Baker is a reporter for the Star Tribune covering southeast Minnesota.

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