Clark’s Bakery is cooking up a tasty surprise for its first shop outside Dundee, which opens this month.
Known for the 24-hour opening at its Annfield Road headquarters and its famous helicopter burger that has staved off thousands of hangovers, the family firm has expanded to have eight outlets in the city.
But for the first time Clark’s will not just be a treat for Dundonians to enjoy as it prepares to open premises in Arbroath this month.
The firm will be located at the Westway Retail Park where it will compete with the likes of McDonald’s and KFC.
Owner Jonathon Clark said: “We jumped at the chance of getting into a retail park. We’ve tried in Dundee and been unsuccessful.
“Being able to sit alongside KFC and McDonald’s, I think is a great achievement for a local family business.
“We are hoping to open in two to three weeks’ time. We’re waiting on equipment, ovens that were meant to come two months ago.
“I haven’t added up how much invested – but I’ll be sitting down when I count it up. It’s a lovely wee shop with nice views over the coast.
“We are at the final stages now and training staff as we speak.”
Opening the shop will lead to the employment of between 15 and 20 workers. Some skilled staff from Dundee will work in the Angus location until the new team is fully trained.
The premises will initially open from 7am or 8am until 5pm but Jonathon said his longer-term intention was to be open until 11pm at night.
It will have the helicopter – a combination of burger, lorne sausage, bacon, fried egg, and chips in a bun – and Jonathon said he is also planning a special smokies pie in tribute to the new location.
“We often do special pies, creating them is something I do to relax and I’ll be working on the smokies pie next week,” he said.
“And if anyone in Arbroath has a good idea for an Arbroath burger let me know.”
The firm faces tough competition in Arbroath which is well served with smokies outlets, acclaimed fish and chip shops and, of course, local favourite Pie Bob’s.
Has Clark’s bitten off more than it can chew this time?
“We’ll soon see,” Jonathon said. “I went in and spoke to the owner of Pie Bob’s to introduce myself.
“They’re a family business, we’re a family business and hopefully we can all get along.
“It means more choice for the people of Arbroath.”
The 24 hour bakery has continued to operate throughout Covid-19, though the firm’s other shops all closed.
They have now all reopened with the exception of Nethergate, which will reopen soon.
“We have reopened as staff wanted to come back to work,” Mr Clark said. “I didn’t force anyone to come back.
“We were kept busy with our delivery service and click and collect options.
“We are also going to open a 10th shop later this year near Starbucks on the Kingsway in Dundee. After that I think that will be the last shop we open for a while.”
Clark’s was founded in 1950 by Ernest Clark as a small bakery on the ground floor of a tenement block at 92 Annfield Road.
It was run for almost 30 years by his son Alan before Jonathon, the third generation owner, rook the reins in 2000.
