That imposing structure before you is the former Schulze Baking Company plant. It stands as a testament to Chicago’s industrial past. This wasn’t just any bakery. It was once Chicago’s largest wholesale bakery. The Schulze Baking Company’s signature Butternut Bread filled countless carts and tables.
The Schulze Baking Company has a story far richer than just bread. Paul Schulze founded the company in 1893. This predates the 1927 date given by Interstate Bakeries. Paul Schulze himself a prominent figure in the baking world. He was the president of the National Association of Master Bakers in 1910 and 1911. The company had four plants by 1912. Their general offices were in the prestigious Chicago Stock Exchange Building.
This very building you see before you opened in 1914. John Ahlschlager and Son designed it. It’s a beautiful example of Sullivanesque architecture. The five-story terra cotta exterior is breathtaking. Blue lettering and intricate ornamentation once adorned the building. Seven hundred windows bathed the interior in light. The concrete floor was reinforced to support an incredible weight.
The Schulze Baking Company’s success wasn’t without challenges. They fought extensive legal battles to protect their trademarks in the 1910s. In 1921 Paul Schulze sold control of the company to Ralph Leroy Nafziger. Nafziger then merged Schulze Baking with Western Bakeries of Los Angeles. This created Interstate Bakeries in 1930. Schulze eventually became fully integrated into Interstate. Paul Schulze continued baking elsewhere. He started the Schulze and Burch Biscuit Company.
The building continued to produce Butternut Bread until 2004. Then Hostess Brands closed the plant. The building fell into disrepair. There was even talk of demolition. Fortunately that didn’t happen. A developer planned to turn the building into a data center. This massive project would cost over 130 million dollars.
Today the Schulze Baking Company plant remains a landmark. It stands as a powerful reminder of Chicago’s industrial heritage. A reminder of the ambition and innovation of Paul Schulze. The building’s future is uncertain. But its past is undeniably remarkable. Its story is etched into the very bricks and mortar. It’s a story waiting to be rediscovered.