Blue Spruce takes break to regroup, rework, then reopen

A month shy of its first-year anniversary, Davenport’s Blue Spruce General Store, bakery deli and micro-grocer is taking a temporary hiatus to regroup and rework the business.  Its owners also announced in a Facebook post on Monday, Sept. 11, that they plan to reopen on Friday, Sept. 29, with a shorter Thursday-Saturday schedule. Brandon Carleton […]

A month shy of its first-year anniversary, Davenport's Blue Spruce General Store, bakery deli and micro-grocer is taking a temporary hiatus to regroup and rework the business.  Its owners also announced in a Facebook post on Monday, Sept. 11, that they plan to reopen on Friday, Sept. 29, with a shorter Thursday-Saturday schedule. Brandon Carleton opened the new restaurant, bakery and micro grocer at 217 E. Second St. in the fall of 2022. The new Blue Spruce General Store proved to be so popular it quickly grew to fill its existing space. Fans included QCBJ readers, who voted it first runner up in the Best Bakery category in the QCBJ’s 2023 Best of the Region Awards. Challenges followed including the loss of an oven, spring flooding and a building collapse in downtown Davenport. The Blue Spruce remained open and maintained its seven-day-a-week, breakfast, lunch and dinner schedule until now.

“The writing has been on the wall for some time now that we need to make a big shift in our business model,” the Blue Spruce post said. “We have been optimistic that we were always ‘right around the corner’ from making ends meet each month, but after 11 months we have decided a change is necessary in order for us to stay open.” The business’ social media post added, “We are still planning and regrouping and we will have more official details in the coming days, including the links to sign up for subscriptions/deliveries.”  An earlier bread subscription service Mr. Brandon launched in his home kitchen also is what laid the foundation for this current brick-and-mortar business.

Classes, popups & more

Now changes are being considered which Blue Spruce said it hopes “will allow us to be more financially stable as well as lean into our creative sides a bit more and offer the types of items we originally built the business on.” In addition, the post said, “This change will also allow us to do some of the things we have been wanting to do for a long time: bread baking classes, focus more on produce from our farmers, late night dessert pop ups, ticketed dinners, and relaunching our bread subscription and delivery program.” Reactions to the company’s post – that came just a month short of its first anniversary – were swift and supportive from some 300-plus customers. Various fans promised to stay with the business, take new baking classes when they are offered, and sign up for the bread subscription service. In its post, Blue Spruce saluted the “unwavering support” it has received from its loyal customers since it was first launched. “This has been a dream job in every possible way and we are all so thankful for the chance to feed this wonderful community,” the post went on. “We very much look forward to being a part of your dinner table again in the near future. We believe that this change will help sustain the business, better reflect the personalities and passions of our team, and allow us to deliver higher quality and more consistent products.” The restaurant, deli and gourmet foods general store also urged customers to share their feedback or suggestions via DM about what they would like to see from Blue Spruce in the future. And it urged those who wish to order charcuterie boards or schedule a time to stop in to stock up on groceries during the break to reach out as well.