After 30 Years, Silvek’s Bakery Owner to Retire in March, Seeking Buyer

Silvek Pupkowski, owner of Silvek's European Bakery, with his wife Irene and son Daniel. 

After 30 years in Little Rock, Silvek’s European Bakery plans to close in March, as the shop’s contract with Kroger expires and owner Silvek Pupkowski finds himself ready to retire. 

But Pupkowski, a Polish immigrant who brought the European baking style to Little Rock, told Arkansas Business he’d be opening to selling the business — and would even lend a hand to the buyer — if the right opportunity came along.

For the last 20 years, Silvek’s bakery has operated inside the Kroger at 1900 N. Polk St., just off Cantrell Road. The location was perfect for the business, drawing a clientele that included folks from the affluent Heights neighborhood. According to Pupkowski, many of their customers have been loyal for years — even decades. 

Silvek’s had been around long before Kroger rebuilt its Polk Street store and invited Pupkowski to set up shop inside. Pupkowski moved to the U.S. from Poland when he was 28, after going to school to learn pastry arts. With Silvek’s, he created a bakery that specializes in European goods that aren’t available at other American shops. He said European breads are crusty and simple, and the pastries “you can’t find anywhere else.” 

Pupkowski said the choice locale — inside Kroger — gave the small business a big boost.

“When the director of Kroger offered me the place in Kroger [20 years ago] it helped me a lot,” Pupkowski said. “She gave me a very nice opportunity to survive and put out my wings again. It was an honor that she trusted me.”

Although he’s sad about the potential closing, Pupkowski said he’s tired and needs a break. If someone were to buy the shop, it would have to open outside of Kroger. But Pupkowski said he’d be willing to help the new owners.

“The main thing is that I want to retire, but if possible we’d like to sell,” Pupkowski said. “Right now we don’t have any ideas of who we would sell to, but we are open to selling to someone who has knowledge about European style, or I can make a deal to teach somebody.”

Pupkowski said he will miss serving the town and his customers — “They keep me baking,” he said. He said he’ll be sad if no one is interested in investing in the business to keep it going. 

“The customers that use the food I bake make me happy,” he said. “These customers are appreciative and keep me going. Some have been coming here for 20 years. But I need a rest.”