Sweet Lady Jane cake shop reopening under new management

LOS ANGELES - The iconic Los Angeles bakery known for its cakes, such as the very popular triple berry, is getting a fresh start under new management. 

At the beginning of the year, Sweet Lady Jane announced on social media the abrupt closure at all its locations, citing the company’s inability to pay its employees a living wage in California, along with lease obligations. 

"We did not come to this decision lightly nor quickly. While the support and loyalty of our customers has been strong, sales are not enough to continue doing business in the state of California, allowing us to service our lease obligations and pay our treasured employees a living wage without passing those costs directly on to you," the since-deleted Instagram post said.

Orders were left unfulfilled and court documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times allege the bakery was involved in a class-action lawsuit for wage theft and mismanagement for nearly seven months. 

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The bakery has hinted at reopening in recent social media posts to mixed reviews. Some loyal patrons were excited, while others demanded justice for former employees. 

Now, it’s time for a new beginning. Matt Clark and Julie Ngu took over, and are in the process of giving Sweet Lady Jane a fresh look while keeping the recipes the same. 

Ngu said owning the beloved bakery chain is a dream come true. She said she turned on the news about the abrupt closure and discussed the possibility of buying it with her partner. On Good Day LA Monday, Ngu also told FOX 11’s Brooke Thomas she plans to create a welcoming environment for employees. 

"Along with every single business owner out there, the backbone of our company are employees that we wouldn't have today. We have six locations. I can't be in six places at one time. We need them and they really are everything that we represent. So, I am opening my doors and on the post, it says ‘Anybody's welcome.’ We actually hired on over 20 post employees or prior employees," Ngu said. 

The Santa Monica location was having a soft reopening Monday. The other locations are in San Fernando, Calabasas, Beverly Hills, Encino, and West Hollywood.