Our Story:

The local origin of the Bear ClawBakery can be traced back to1912, When Albert Hoeffer opened a bakery on 4th and MacDonald in downtown Richmond. Bringing European baking skills to the East Bay. Albert, and son Ben, continued the old world recipes and original ways of making traditional pastries, cakes and breads. For over 60 years their bakery provided the rapidly growing local community with popular, quality baked goods.

That tradition has been carried on through the present at the Bear Claw Bakery in Pinole as Mike and Terri Hoeffer-Stott maintain the family heritage of using fresh, high-quality ingredients, the daily baking, and providing personal service. Along with this past tradition is the continuing evolution of the Bear Claw Bakery products and services to reflect the changing tastes of its patrons and community.

A new generation of Stotts are being trained to learn how to carry on the family baking tradition. Sons J.J. and Luke, along with daughters Lucie and Grace and daughter-in-law, Irish, help out parents Mike and Terri at the bakery. In fact, it is not uncommon to walk in and see up to three generations of the Stott family working side by side at the bakery if you include the grandkids (No worries - we don’t make them work until they’re at least 5) 

We offer a wide selection of quality products for all occasions. So whether you're picking up your morning coffee, getting some danish for the office, or grabbing a sandwich on your lunch break, stop by for some rare, small business hospitality and quality baked goods. We also do cakes for all occasions, offer catering services, and do pizza and beer Wed - Fri evening!