Al and Ernie’s Bakery Cafe has been experiencing a line out the door from the start of the day to close after opening its doors to the Battle Ground community.
The bakery and cafe began with a week of soft openings, followed by a grand opening on Nov. 19. Lines for food and drinks have been starting at 6 a.m. when Al and Ernie’s starts their day to customers.
The process to land an opening day was long. Community interest began to climb when a Facebook post in the spring of 2023 when co-investor Mac Spiller announced plans to open the bakery cafe to the community. The Al and Ernie name, however, has been a part of Battle Ground history for some time. Al and Ernie’s Foodliner was originally a longtime grocery store in Battle Ground before it closed. Spiller and friends Joylyn and Devin Bowen decided to pay homage to the original business because of Joylyn’s family ties; her grandfather and uncle founded the original grocery store.
The partnership made sense, as well because the Bowens wanted to expand their bagel bakery, which they started at home, and Mac and his brother, Camden Spiller, wanted to open a bakery.
“We wanted to create a place that was friendly, welcoming and warm, a place that was for Battle Ground,” Mac Spiller said. “Getting the vibe right was important for us. We love Battle Ground, and we want to keep Battle Ground, Battle Ground.”
The Spillers began envisioning a bakery in 2020 after their favorite breakfast spot, Hockinson Cafe, closed its doors due to the pandemic. They thought, by partnering with the Bowens, the bakery cafe would help fill the local breakfast spot scene of Battle Ground.
“This is really a place to come and sit down and connect with other people,” Mac Spiller said. “It’s a place to spend some time, get together with friends for a bible study or girlfriends getting coffee together. We want to make it a really nice, sit-down experience for everyone.”
Now, the bakery cafe is in full swing offering a destination in Old Town to escape the rain, grab a hot cup of coffee, a warm slice of pie or a hot bowl of soup, among other offerings.
“It feels great, but to be honest, we’re still a little bit shell-shocked because it’s been like such a huge response from the community, which is awesome,” Joylyn Bowen, the head baker and kitchen manager, said after a second straight day of lines to the door at the budding business.
Devin Bowen added that stepping into a new way of life by managing the bakery cafe has its challenges, both as staff and for customers. In the latter half of the day, customers may see some items already sold out from the morning rush.
“We’re learning a lot every day,” Joylyn Bowen said. “I’m hoping to get better and faster and all that.”
The bakery cafe offers coffee and other drinks, sandwiches, a soup of the day and breakfast options. Devin Bowen thinks their business brings value to Old Town Battle Ground.
“We’re just really thankful for the response. I think, as much as anything, this was just the right idea at the right time,” he said. “It’s not as though we’re doing anything special. We just thought that there needed to be a place like this. We wanted to be a part of this, and it seems like the community agrees.”
Al and Ernie’s Bakery Cafe is located at 802 E. Main St. in Battle Ground. Parking has been a challenge but is located around the building and in a gravel lot along the east side of Northeast Grace Ave. The bakery is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. It is closed Sundays and Mondays and Thanksgiving.
For more information and updates, find Al and Ernie’s Bakery Cafe on Instagram and Facebook, and at alandernies.com.
