FEATUREZ
Located in historically rich downtown New Braunfels, the building on South Seguin Avenue has hosted the bakery since 1874, and witnessed three generations of Naegelin men pour their souls into the traditional German recipes that continue to be used today. Eduoard Naegelin operated the bakery until his death in 1923, at which time his son and daughter-in-law, Edward and Laura, assumed ownership of the business. The couple, along with their two children, lived in the apartment atop of the bakery and ran the business as a family. The Naegelin men worked the back while the women handled the customers in the front. Bread was delivered door to door via wagon, accompanied by a bell signaling residents that hot bread awaited their hungry families. After a remodel in 1935, yet another Naegelin man, Clinton Frank, took control of the bakery. All the while, the recipes remained strong and authentic; the residents of New Braunfels remained loyal to the legendary apple strudel the bakery is still famous for this treat.
Naegelin’s
is Bakery Heaven gingerbread men, made with locally milled flour and top-notch molasses, nestle next to unicorn cookies 42
SCHERTZMAGAZINE.COM JULY 2012
Texas’ Most Historic Bakery Gets Better with Age By Andrea M. Allinger
Standing tall after 144 years in business, Naegelin’s Bakery was founded in 1868 by a German immigrant, Eduoard Naegelin, and is the oldest bakery in the state.
The Granzins were “what Mr. Naegelin was looking for. He wasn’t looking to make a big profit; he was looking for someone to carry on the business.” From the traditional building to the original recipes, the Granzins have certainly carried on Naegelin’s name successfully— while adding local favorites, such as sausage kolaches, to the menu. One step inside Naegelin’s Bakery and the scent of freshly baked pastries, cakes, and breads will instantly engulf your senses. The glass display counter that stretches throughout the building holds over 80 baked products, from the infamous apple strudel to delicious cookies and breads. An indecisive patron could spend hours trying to decide what appetizing pastry to sample. Fortunately, the kind faces behind the counter can answer any questions—and will gladly help make the decision easier.
On the wall opposite the display counter is Naegelin’s collection of bread products, including rolls, loaves of bread, and even jalapeño tortillas. In 1980, Clinton Frank Naegelin came With additional apparel on the into contact with Wilburn Granzin and back wall, Naegelin’s Bakery is changed the course of the lives of the a 360 degree experience. Granzins for generations. Wilburn’s son, Todd, remembers his father’s work at Buttercrust and later Bill Miller’s in San Antonio until stumbling across “the little bakery in New Braunfels.”
At the time of the purchase of Naegelin’s Bakery, Todd Granzin had already been working alongside his father for years. He remembers resenting the 2:30 am wakeup call and moving from San Antonio to New Braunfels. Granzin recalls “the town closed down every night at 6 pm, as a senior in high school, I hated that.” Decades later, Todd Granzin “can’t imagine living anywhere else,” and he enjoys the small town atmosphere the city of New Braunfels offers him and his family. He currently runs the bakery alongside his brother, Ross Granzin. The business is all family as Todd’s son and daughterin-law, Derek and Alexis Granzin, work as the main cake decorators.
Naegelin’s pastries are known throughout Texas as the best money can buy. Customers can purchase baked goods on the bakery’s website, as many of the regular customers do, Granzin reports. “People from all over the state, including a lot of families,” purchase Naegelin’s delicacies online, “even Nolan Ryan buys his apple strudel from us.” The apple strudel is made from the original Eduoard Naegelin recipe that includes a blend of apples, coconut, cinnamon, and cherries encased in flaky puffed pastry dough. The complete strudel is massive, stretching 2 feet in length, weighing in at 4.5 pounds. Individual slices of the strudel are available at the counter. Granzin boasts that many of Naegelin’s recipes are “Naegelin’s own version” of popular pastries, such as the bear claw.
The pastry is usually made with almond flavored puffy pastry dough, but Naegelin’s bear claw reaches new frontiers. With 12 layers of sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and Danish dough, one bite and your life will never be the same. With over 80 different products, Naegelin’s Bakery is termed a “full-scale retail bakery,” according to Granzin. The bakery not only specializes in one of a kind pastries and cookies, but creates custommade wedding and occasion cakes, as well as handmade bread and German pretzels. The gingerbread men, made with locally milled flour and top-notch molasses, nestle next to unicorn cookies in the display case, enticing pint-sized customers and hunched down parents alike. Classic German cookies such as Iced Molasses, Springele, Pfefernuesse and Lebkuche are available for individual purchase as well as by the dozen. If you just can’t get enough of that bakery smell, check out the vacation house right next door. Built by Stephen F. Klein in 1846 and sold to Eduoard Naeglin in 1868, the cottage is the second oldest house in New Braunfels. The house features the old German technique of Fachwerk construction—heavy wooden timber framing, diagonal bracing, and limestone fill. The cottage sleeps up to four people, and the enticing smells from the next door bakery are certain to upstage any alarm clock on the market. Such are New Braunfels’ historical roots; tourism is a big part of the bakeries business. Granzin says, “to put it in baker’s terms, tourists are the icing on the cake.” Not only does New Braunfels host the oldest bakery in Texas, but also the oldest hardware store in the state, Henne Hardware. New Braunfels is the perfect destination for entertaining out of town guests as well as the perfect day trip from Schertz . Naegelin’s Bakery is open Monday through Friday, from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm, Saturdays from 6:30 am until 5 pm, and is closed on Sundays. Online ordering is available at www.naegelin.com and the bakery can be contacted at (830) 6255722 for more information. JULY 2012 SCHERTZMAGAZINE.COM
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