San Diego Bakery Implements Doorbell Policy Due To Problems With Homeless

August 11, 2023

A San Diego bakery has begun a doorbell entry policy following a series of alarming incidents with homeless individuals. 

Phatties Bake Shop in San Diego's Point Loma Heights community has announced it will no longer be fully open to the public. The company announced on its social media channels that prospective patrons will now have to ring the door bell to request entry. 

"Phatties Bake Shop will be in lock down until further notice," wrote the Phatties Bake Shop team on a post to the company's Instagram Page "[O]ur number one goal as a small business is to provide a safe environment to our guest and employees. Over the past few weeks we have dealt with people who are unhoused coming in and grabbing product and leaving, destroying property, coming in and screaming, and the latest was bringing a crowbar into Phatties. We have installed a doorbell and are open for business but are going to be more cautious while we navigate these critical times. I hope you still support our award winning shop!!" 

Located on near the border of Point Loma and Ocean Beach, Phatties was founded in December 2020 by longtime friends Susan Madueno and Wayne West. The quaint bakery sells a variety of house made baked treats, which mostly consist of organic, gluten-free and vegan options. 

Phatties is far from the first area business to modify their business practices due to issues with San Diego's growing homeless population. In the past year, two San Diego Starbucks Coffee locations closed due to safety concerns. Last fall, the controversial Starbucks store in Ocean Beach permanently closed, citing safety concerns of customers and employees, followed by one of San Diego's oldest branches of the Seattle-based coffee house, sited on Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest.  

Phatties Bake Shop is located at 4143 Voltaire Street in San Diego's Point Loma. For more information, visit phattiesbakeshop.com.