06/05/2022
Bang Bang Bakery will close permanently by the end of this month (May 2022).
It's been an immensely difficult but enriching 3 years managing the bakery. A disrupted partnership, lockdowns, citywide demolition, ongoing supply shortages, etc, on top of cultural barriers, personal hardships, and our aspiration to excel at our craft despite these obstacles. We knew from the onset, the hill we chose to climb was a steep one—straight up plateau.
For a long while I held a disconcerting belief that Bang Bang didn't truly belong in Siem Reap. We often received the criticism "good quality but too expensive". (Fair enough!) However, we were struggling to make ends meet, like many small enterprises now in Siem Reap. We spent hours, sometimes days, preparing breads, cakes, food and desserts from scratch, with insufficient returns.
I absolutely do NOT blame our community for Bang Bang's downfall. It was largely my unrealistic ideals and incompetency as a businessperson. That said, I want our community to flourish, to learn from my mistakes and build a greater sense of unity. If I can leave behind a single message to Siem Reap, it is this:
To patrons: when you recognise "good quality", if possible, take the time to understand and appreciate the scope of effort that goes into it. To small business operators especially artisans: value your time and labour including your team's.
Thank you, everybody. And a special thank you to each member of the Bang Bang fam. I feel deeply disheartened but I know our time together has made us better, stronger individuals. I can only hope a better future awaits us, whichever path each of us pursues.
✌️❤️
Zita
Co-Founder
Bang Bang Bakery
