New bakery downtown

A new artisan bakery opens its doors Friday downtown Penticton.

The shop’s owner and head baker Jan Petrasek worked in bakeries across Europe and Israel prior to opening his own shop, with his wife Silvia, in Calgary.

They ran that business for more than eight years, eventually moving back to home-country Slovakia with their children.

Shortly after they sold the Calgary bakery, it came time for a family vacation. Petrasek said he found out Osoyoos is one of the hottest places in Canada, but ended up selecting Penticton during Peachfest and fell in love with the city once here.

“All of the people, we had lots of fun with all the concerts each night, it’s beautiful — very nice lakes, we like it,” he said.

When the time came to move back to Canada, Calgary was not on the list.

“On my god, eight months of winter, horrible” he said with a laugh.

The family remembered their vacation in Penticton and made a leap, buying a home online before they even arrived in the city.

Eighteen months later, Jan and Silvia are opening Petrasek Bakery, hoping to become a downtown staple. Jan says he ferments all his baking, and uses techniques he’s learned during his travels through Europe.

He’s assisted by a state-of-the-art oven imported from Britain and other equipment, spending about $100,000 to get the business off the ground

Petrasek Baking, adjacent to Nanaimo Square, will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.