3 Bears Gluten-Free Bakery & Cafe, 51 Market St., is up for sale. Facebook photo | with courtesy.

BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — The premier hot spot in the North Country for gluten free cupcakes, cakes, and other baked goods is on the market.

The 3 Bears Gluten-Free Bakery & Cafe, 51 Market St., is up for sale, but won’t be closing anytime soon, said Chris Durand, who co-owns the iconic cupcake shop with his wife Faye Oriole’s.

“We’re doing incredibly well. It makes no sense to close a business doing this good,” Durand said.

Durand said while nationally restaurant businesses in general are down 2 percent in profits, 3 Bears is actually up 4 percent.

So why sell?

“My wife and I discovered along the line that we are getting old,” Durand said. “It’s to a point that it's now time to enjoy life.”

The couple are looking forward to spending time with their two daughters and five grandchildren.

Durand said the couple don’t work as hard now as they used to as the business almost runs itself but that it is time to move into retirement.

“We’re kind of looking for someone who has the same passion for taking care of the people,” Durand said.

He said one of the key features of the café is its inclusive nature and great prices for gluten-free goods.

And, of course, the recipes.

“Everything that’s here goes to the new owners,” Durand said. “It took us three years to get those recipes right.”

Those mixes have built up an extensive local and distant clientele with customers and cupcake hunters making the pilgrimage to 3 Bears from Canada, downstate and from abroad.

Before the pandemic, the shop was supplying cupcake orders to the hospital and all four local colleges as well. The business is now just supplying SUNY Potsdam, but Durand said the business is incredibly busy with its current orders.

3 Bears employs 13 workers to handle the vigorous business and there is room to grow.

“The business has incredible potential,” Durand said.

The asking price for the shop is $650,000 which is less than 3 years of gross sales, Durand said.

Visit https://www.3bearsglutenfree.com/ for more about 3 Bears and to see the menu.

To contact Durant or Ori email [email protected] or call 315-274-9308.