Written and photographed by Joshua Williams
Originally published in Issue #3: The Green Zine on January 25th, 2025.
Last Call Baking Co., located in Birmingham, AL, is one of Alabama’s best and worst-kept secrets. The best-kept secret is that even with Chanah Willis (pictured), a James Beard Award Semifinalist, at the helm, some people outside the Birmingham area know about the bakery. The worst-kept secret is that those who know about Last Call Baking are an incredibly loyal group who will cause the bakery to sell out of items within hours of opening.
Last Call Baking Co. was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chanah found themself suddenly unemployed—like many during that time—and started baking out of their apartment. With what Chanah described as a “really crappy dorm-style oven,” they began baking items that could be packaged safely due to COVID, like baked donuts, tarts, and scones. Most of the earlier offerings were unintentionally gluten-free and vegan, which allowed Chanah to tap into a vastly underrepresented market in Birmingham and, in turn, allowed them to grow their business over the next two years.
As the business grew, Chanah started offering wholesale baked goods for sale at various locations around Birmingham before eventually opening a brick-and-mortar retail bakery in the shadow of US Highway 280 in November 2022. In early 2024, Chanah was named a James Beard Award semifinalist—one of the most prestigious food awards—resulting in new attention for the bakery.
When I arrived at the bakery at 7:30 a.m., Anna, a loyal Last Call customer, was waiting outside. Anna first discovered Last Call Bakery while taking her dog to daycare. In front of what she would soon learn to be a bakery, Anna noticed a long line and decided to investigate.
“Walking into the bakery was nostalgic,” Anna said. “The smells and being able to see the process in action reminded me of bakeries from my childhood,” she continued. Since that first visit to Last Call Baking, Anna has made visits to the bakery part of her routine. “Now, after I drop my dog at daycare, I come here and wait for an hour until they open,” Anna proudly stated.
As we talked, others appeared and started to form a line. Five minutes before opening, the sound of car doors opening and shutting filled the air, and by 8:00 a.m., 16 people were in line.
Upon entering the bakery, I was greeted by owner and baker Chanah Willis. Chanah was warm and welcoming as they showed me around the bakery. The functional portion of the bakery takes up the bulk of the building’s interior. It is open for all to view, with a display counter and short glass partition separating the bakers from the customers. The layout creates a sense of community between the bakers and customers by inviting the customers to view the process. At the same time, as the customers wait, the long line and limited space encourage them to converse with those who are also in line.
I talked with Chanah during their breakfast break. During this conversation, I learned that Last Call Baking Co. has grown to around 15 employees—four bakers—since the early days of apartment baking. Last Call Baking Co. is currently the only all-trans/all-queer bakery in Alabama. While Chanah doesn’t focus on awards, they are happy with the elevated visibility the James Beard Award selection has brought to the community.
Unlike some spaces in the world of food, Last Call Baking Co. thrives on collaboration, especially regarding flavor combinations. Frankie, who Chanah complimented by saying, “Their pastries are some of the best that I ever had,” is a baker and frequent collaborator on these flavors, inspired by foods from around the world.
Unique items such as kimchi togarashi pop-tart, ramen rice crispy treats topped with bonito flakes and sesame oil, and an Earl Grey boba milk bread bun have made Last Call Baking Co. a must-try for all those looking for new and exciting flavors. In contrast, staples such as their croissants, danishes, and buns have made Last Call Baking Co. a repeatable must for most people who have visited.
On the day I visited, by 8:25 a.m., just 25 minutes after opening, a kouign-amann became the first item to sell out. Fifteen minutes later, the coffee scroll became the second item, and by 9.53 a.m., the bakery had completely sold out. Between 8:00 a.m. and 9:53 a.m., the line never dipped below 12 people until the final moments.
During the hour and 53 minutes that the bakery was open on the day I visited, I didn’t hear a single complaint about the wait time, which was around 20 minutes. I heard friendly conversations between strangers and customers raving about this item or that item, and, much like with Anna, two people accidentally discovered Last Call Bakery for the first time.
Check them out:
Follow Last Call Baking Co. on Instagram or visit them at 213 25th Street North Suite A, Birmingham, Alabama 35203.
Action Cat Zine 
You must be logged in to post a comment.