MOBILE, Ala. — When bread shelves across Mobile County grocery stores emptied out in late March 2020 amid the first wave of pandemic stockpiling, one of the most reliable places to find a fresh loaf turned out to be a local institution: Pollman’s Bake Shop.
The Mobile bakery has kept its ovens running at full tilt, baking loaves daily and ramping up production to meet demand from customers who struck out at the supermarket. Store manager Joanna Hernandez said the surge in orders has come from some unexpected places, including area hospitals.
“Mobile Infirmary has been buying like 10 loaves every day,” Hernandez said. Churches have also been placing larger orders for wheat bread so they can distribute loaves to members of their congregations who need it.
Beyond keeping bread on the table, shopping at a neighborhood bakery during the shortage has a second benefit: it channels support to a small local business at a time when many are struggling. For generations, Pollman’s has been part of Mobile’s food landscape, and its ability to bake fresh daily means supply lines measured in miles rather than shipping lanes — an advantage when national distribution chains are strained.
As long as demand stays high, the bakery says it will keep the loaves coming, one batch at a time.