Ninth Street Bakery has been a cornerstone of Durham, North Carolina’s culinary scene since its spring opening in 1981. More than just a bakery, NSB represents a legacy of dedication to wholesome ingredients, community values, and the art of traditional baking. Founded by brothers George and Frank Ferrell, along with Maureen Ferrell and Michael Mooney, Ninth Street Bakery began its journey with recipes inspired by their time at the Tassajara Zen Center, bringing a unique blend of wholegrain goodness and community spirit to Durham.
From Ninth Street Café to Durham Baking Institution
Originally envisioned as a cozy retail bakery and café, Ninth Street Bakery quickly became known for its seeded sliced pan loaves and commitment to organic baking. Its first location on Ninth Street, now home to Dain’s Bar, saw rapid success and growth. As the demand for their baked goods soared, so did their ambition. In the 1980s, NSB established itself as the leading organic and healthy bakery in the region. By 1989, outgrowing its initial space, the café transitioned to a larger Ninth Street location (currently Elmo’s Diner). This expansion included a full-scale restaurant, offering a diverse menu from soups and salads to dinner entrées and desserts, alongside their beloved baked goods.
In 1992, Ninth Street Bakery solidified its production capabilities by opening a dedicated bakery plant in Downtown Durham, operating alongside the bustling café. However, by 1996, the owners decided to refocus on their core passion – baking. They closed the restaurant, allowing Elmo’s Diner to take over the location, and streamlined their operations to concentrate on what they did best: creating exceptional bread and pastries. While satellite cafes in Raleigh and Chapel Hill were explored, they were eventually consolidated to allow for a greater focus on the heart of Ninth Street Bakery in Durham.
For its first decade, Ninth Street Bakery dominated the organic and whole grain bread market. Consistent year-over-year sales growth led to the 1992 relocation of their production plant to accommodate increasing wholesale demand. Alongside the wholesale business, a small retail takeout section emerged at the front of the plant, initially offering coffee, fresh pastries, and cookies. This humble retail space has since evolved into the thriving café it is today, complete with seating and an expanded menu featuring sandwiches, salads, curries, chili, and soups, in addition to their original offerings.
The Ari Berenbaum Era: Modernizing Tradition
In the fall of 2013, Ninth Street Bakery entered a new chapter when Ari Berenbaum, a former baker and production manager at NSB (2009-2011), purchased the bakery from the Ferrells and Ray Jones, who were ready for retirement. The transition ensured the continuity of the Ninth Street Bakery name and its deeply rooted business philosophy. Located at Five Points in Durham, NSB stands as an anchor business in a dynamic and evolving city. Today, Ninth Street Bakery boasts a full-service café and a robust wholesale program, extending its reach across the Triad region from Greensboro to Raleigh, and throughout Durham, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro.
Meet Ari: A Baker with a Vision
Before returning to Ninth Street Bakery, Ari Berenbaum’s journey included writing fiction, working in corporate bookselling, and even pursuing graduate studies. However, his passion for baking, honed as a home baker and further developed during his initial stint at Ninth Street, ultimately drew him back. Notably, he even ran a sliding-scale baking business, demonstrating his commitment to making quality baked goods accessible to everyone.
Since taking the helm at Ninth Street Bakery, Ari has infused fresh energy into the beloved institution. He has modernized recipes, elevated quality, expanded bread selections, and embraced contemporary trends in baking and culinary arts. Beyond the bakery, Ari is deeply invested in the Durham and Triangle communities, regularly hosting charitable events and sliding-scale baking classes at the bakery itself. Ninth Street Bakery, under Ari’s leadership, continues to be a Durham treasure, blending its rich history with a forward-thinking approach to artisan baking and community engagement.
