Bossards Patisserie in Oban is to close for good at the end of this week.
After 19 years in the cake and savoury business, Heinz and Sylvia Bossard have decided to shut up the shop on Gibraltar Street.
Those who loved the shop’s scones, bacon rolls, baked potatoes and cream filled cakes and tray bakes have taken to social media to say goodbye to the town’s only independent bread bakery.
The couple ran the business in Oban with son Michael, 39.
In a post on social media, Sylvia Bossard, 68, said: “Heinz and Sylvia are retiring.
Special mention to Oban school pupils
“A huge thank you to all our customers near and far who have supported our shop over the years.”
Bossards, at one time, had two branches one in Edinburgh and one in Oban. The business was started in 1989, opening in Oban in 2004.
The post added: “We are thankful to so many people, too many to name them all. We would like to give a mention to Oban school pupils who have been a great support over the years – be proud of all your children we never had a difficult day in 19 years.”
Many hundreds of people wished Sylvia and Heinz, 70, well in their retirement, and thanked all the staff in the shop for the warm welcome they always received.
Although the shop is small with a long counter filled with cakes and savouries, there was a seating area inside, and in the summer months a place to sit outside.
A long and happy retirement
The shop faces onto the busy Argyll Square area, and is a short cut in the town through to the Tesco supermarket.
The area was due to be modernised by the council, and a survey has taken place of what people would like to see to help transform the area.
A local woman wrote on social media: “As many have said going to miss everything about Bossards, from, the best homemade soup, to the baked tatties, the scrumptious baking and of course all the lovely staff, wishing you both a long and happy retirement.”
Another woman wrote: “Will be sorely missed. Thanks for the great coffees, cakes and lunches. Best wishes for a happy retirement.”
Many people talked of the cakes they would miss, among them Empire biscuits, wholesome soup, lovely meals like quiche and macaroni and cakes. And of course the delicious truffles covered in chocolate hundreds and thousands.