YoYo’s owners have purchased the bakery, and plan to reopen it on December 18
Just a week after announcing its closure, Thirsty Whale Bakery is set to reopen in North Minneapolis. The bakery announced on Instagram today that Alise and Luke McGregor, owners of Minnetonka’s YoYo Donuts, have purchased the bakery and plan to reopen it on December 18.
Alise told the Star Tribune that after seeing the outpouring of support for Thirsty Whale last week, she and Luke wanted to do what they could to save it — so they rang up Kyle Baker, the bakery’s owner. Together, they made a plan: The McGregors would take over ownership, and Baker would stay on in the kitchen. “We kept talking about how we could expand our business,” Alise told the Strib. “When I saw [the Star Tribune] story, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, what’s going on?’ Bakeries like this are the lifeblood of communities.”
YoYo is known for its airy, raised, not-too-sweet doughnuts and ice cream, all made in a totally nut-free facility. But the McGregors don’t plan to change much at Thirsty Whale — Baker will continue churning out the doughnuts, pastries, and cupcakes the bakery is known for. Baker told the Strib he’s excited for the change, especially amid the challenges of running the bakery in recent weeks. “I’m excited I still get to be part of the team,” he said. “I worked through the night one night last week. We used to do that all the time. Luckily, that should be coming to an end.”