By Charlie Senack
A new pastry shop in Hintonburg has been vandalized just weeks after opening.
Amandine Patisserie, located at 1175 Wellington St. W, received extensive damage on Jan. 10, after a person broke in and went on a rampage tearing apart the French bakery.
“He didn’t steal anything. He broke the bathroom (toilet) and threw an object through a window,” said Amandine Pajor, owner of Amandine Patisserie. “It’s a very weird situation. Fortunately the displays and ovens weren’t broken.”
Pajor said besides a $50 Bluetooth speaker, nothing was stolen. But tables and chairs were wrecked and an iPad was smashed. The broken toilet caused water damage to the pastry shop and to Stella’s Beauty Salon next door.
Amandine Patisserie is a French pastry shop that bakes homemade and artisanal quality products. They specialize in croissants, brioche, tarts and choux.
While the break-in couldn’t have occurred at a busier time for the new business, Pajor said the community has been supportive.
“We have had so many people come in I just couldn’t imagine it,” she said. “It has been overwhelming and great.”
Pajor said several thousand dollars of damage was done and repairs will take weeks. Ottawa Police are investigating and at the time of publication, no arrests have been made.
Amandine Patisserie is open Thursday to Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.