The Old Bakery And Emporium

A creative recipe to engage older adults

By Tara Vodihn

The concept of “aging” in the United States has undergone a radical shift. Baby Boomers are not willing to equate decline with destiny, and are defying all previous expectations of what getting older looks like. So how can recreation professionals successfully engage older adults to facilitate a higher quality of life and greater well-being? The Old Bakery and Emporium in Austin, Texas, has some answers.

Exterior Photo: @PeteHollandPhoto(.com)

The goals of the program are to provide a meaningful volunteer activity for older adults, the potential to earn additional income, and the ability to socialize. Research and literature illuminate the strong roles that efficacy, empowerment, and social engagement play in creating and maintaining well-being later in life.

What Exactly Is It?

The Old Bakery and Emporium is a joint project of the senior-programs section of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the First Lady's Volunteer Program of the Texas Center for Volunteer Action. The building is located in the heart of Austin, a stone’s throw from the state capitol. It is a registered national landmark and was built by Swedish immigrant Charles Lundberg in 1876. As the name suggests, it was a bakery until 1936. The Old Bakery maintains its links to the past by housing the Lundberg-Maerki Historical Collection, which provides a look at what life was like in the early years of Austin. Other features are a gift shop and an art gallery. Out-of-town visitors can also find maps, water, and souvenirs.

How Does A Bakery Become A Museum And Gallery?

The Old Bakery was scheduled to be torn down in 1963. The Austin Heritage Society and Junior League joined forces to save and restore the structure. It was transformed into the Tourist Information Center and Coffee Kitchen in 1964. Six years later, it was sold to the state; in 1980, the state deeded the building and property to the city. The building housed The City of Austin Office of Bicentennial Affairs and the Texas Bicentennial Information Center from July 1974 to September 1976. It has existed in its current incarnation since October 1976.

How It Works

The mission of the Old Bakery and Emporium is to:

• Offer people 50 years and over opportunities to supplement their incomes and to develop second careers

• Provide people of all ages opportunities for meaningful volunteer service

• Provide information and a warm sense of welcome to out-of-town visitors

• Encourage the appreciation and perpetuation of heritage handicraft skills

• Provide a positive image of the older adult as a gifted, contributing member of the community.

The Gift Shop

Adults who are at least 50 years old, reside in Travis or the surrounding counties, and are willing to volunteer at least eight hours a month, can sell their handmade work in the gift shop. They can fulfill the volunteer requirement by assisting at the Hospitality Desk, doing office/administration work for the Lundberg-Maerki Historical Collection, or marketing the program in another capacity. Artists, referred to as consignors, determine the price of their work, and the gift shop adds 20 percent. Consignors keep 80 percent of the proceeds. They must sign an agreement that includes liability information and a breakdown of how the sales are divided. They also must officially become a vendor with the city in order to be paid.

The Fine Art Gallery

Artists apply to have their work displayed in the gallery, located on the second level of the building. The space boasts 195 linear feet of wall where art can be hung. The main feature is the 12-foot-high limestone walls.

A professional art-hanging system allows for large pieces of artwork to be installed.

As in the gift shop, artists who want to exhibit must be at least 50 years old and live in Travis or one of the surrounding counties. Gallery artists also set their prices and keep 80 percent of the proceeds. However, gallery artwork must be selected by a panel, and there is no volunteer requirement for gallery artists. Exhibits are chosen for the following calendar year via an annual call for submissions. The selection process is blind: Art is chosen based on artistic merit and appropriateness for the general public, and must be approved by the management of the Old Bakery and Emporium. Exhibits change monthly with an opening reception for each show on the first Friday of each month.

Photo: Courtesy of The Old Bakery and Emporium

Why It Works

The Old Bakery is very much a volunteer-driven entity with a large degree of input from program participants. It should therefore not be a surprise that the program has the characteristics identified as being desirable to older adults—the commitment is flexible, short-term, and tailored to a specific interest, and there is an opportunity for compensation.

The program planning process has largely been an organic evolution with a balanced combination of stakeholders and participants involved. The Old Bakery Guild is the primary decision-making entity for the Old Bakery and Emporium. The guild is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with the mission of raising funds that are to be spent to support the program. The primary revenue is the 20 percent of the sales from the gift shop and gallery. Membership on the board of directors is by invitation or recruitment, and board members must be willing to commit to one year. The guild meets once a month. The officers of the board are also members of the executive committee.

When asked about what they gain from being involved with the Old Bakery, board members cited social bonds, a chance to “express your energy and share it with others” and “a way to keep your sanity.” Guild President Janet Grimes says that in addition to friendships, she values “a feeling that I contribute to the city.”

The Old Bakery is a unique organization that provides a “purely participatory” arts and social experience for older adults. As the need for creating wellness programs for this group increases, more programs like the Old Bakery could be just what the doctor ordered.

Tara Vodihn is a Graduate Student in Therapeutic Recreation at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. Reach her at tarav@txstate.edu.