Nine Winters Bakery, the Korean American bake shop in West Cambridge that put gochujang sticky buns and kimchi cheese danishes on local radars, is calling it quits at the end of the month. Owner Marissa Ferola says she is stepping away to prioritize family, and the Concord Avenue storefront will serve its final customers through Sunday, March 29. For a business that only just settled into its permanent home, the announcement brings a sharp and early end to the bakery’s time on Concord Avenue after less than a year.
Owner Cites Family In Instagram Post
Ferola shared the news on Instagram, writing that "life has taken a turn I never expected" and that she "has chosen to build this shop as they've grown up," according to Boston.com. The outlet reports that Ferola added, "I'm choosing my family," and thanked the community for its support as the shop winds down. According to Boston.com, the bakery plans to operate regular hours through March 29 while preparations for closing move ahead.
From Pop Ups To A Permanent Shop
Ferola got her start selling baked goods at Honeycomb Creamery, then opened a stall at Somerville’s Bow Market in 2023 before finally landing a permanent space on Concord Avenue, according to NineWinters.com. The site lists the address as 292 Concord Ave and frames Nine Winters as a project that allowed Ferola, a Korean adoptee raised in New England, to reconnect with her heritage. Local TV coverage later profiled her path from pop up baker to cafe owner; a feature from WCVB spotlighted the shop's early days and its signature items.
Menu Items That Built A Following
Nine Winters built its buzz on playful Korean American pastries, including gochujang sticky buns, doenjang apple blondies and kimchi cheese danishes, offerings Boston.com highlighted when reporting the closure. Reviewers and customers also praised items like Korean garlic bread and gyeran ppang, which helped the bakery stand out in Greater Boston’s crowded pastry scene. Even with that enthusiastic attention, the brick and mortar shop lasted under a year before Ferola’s decision to step away for family.
What’s Next
Ferola’s Instagram post thanked patrons and reiterated that Nine Winters was created to "prioritize Asian American and adoptee voices," language that also appears on the bakery’s about and events pages at NineWinters.com. The business has a history of pop ups, collaborations and community events, and the site’s calendar and press page document past appearances and partnerships, which leaves open the possibility that Ferola could remain active in the community even after the storefront goes dark.
The Concord Avenue shop is set to serve customers through Sunday, March 29, after which the future of the space is unknown. Ferola closed her message with gratitude for the community and for the chance to share Korean American baking with Cambridge and Somerville audiences while Nine Winters had its run.
