The good people of Jiangning District in Naniing have waited a long time for foreign-owned bakery, Skyways, to open up in their neighbourhood. So it was smiles all round, all day today, as staff and customers embraced the latest incarnation of this bit of Nanjing furniture.
Today is a day that has in fact been 8 years in the making. And it’s part of a journey that the two founders, their family and staff have made together, over nigh on the past quarter of a century.
But before a back story full of its share of ups and downs, quirks and dramatics, first to the naming of the bakery’s newly-opened branch. Initially slated to be Skyways Jiangning, staff took issue with their leader, saying that they should open more branches in the district sooner rather than later. Hence today we now have Skyways Tuolejia, named after the residential compound nearby that, with over 7,000 apartments therein, counts itself as one of Nanjing’s largest.
As well as the breads, Skyways Tuolejia offers the ever-popular, made-to-order sandwiches. Just as in every other branch, customers in Jiangning, new and old, can fill in one of the bakery’s now-famed little scraps of paper to create a sandwich with any combination of fillings of their choosing.
Then there are the macaroons and croissants, together with the pasta, juices, milk and lots of Illy coffee, plus many more goodies. Once almost exclusively the preserve of expats and foreign students, such luxuries are now increasingly a hit with people from all walks of life.
Co-Founder of Skyways, Patrick Hecklemann, spoke today with The Nanjinger about how his business clientele has changed over the years. “The increase in Asians coming for sandwiches and salads has been tremendous. All age groups. I see people in their 50s and 60s coming in for sandwiches. I never saw this 5, 6, 10 years ago. It’s really changed a lot”, said Hecklemann.
The Skyways story has its beginnings in the opening of its parent venture, Swede & Kraut restaurant, in April, 1997. With no choice but to bake its own breads, dining patrons quickly started asking whether they could make a purchase or two. By later that year, demand was sufficient to warrant opening the first Skyways on Hankou Xi Lu.
A move to the present location on Shanghai Lu was to follow soon after, while before long, the Skyways family grew, with a second location opening its doors at Taiping Men. Little did anyone know, but this branch of the popular foreign haunt was to see more than its fair share of drama.
The new millennia was not so old, when on 22 June, an enraged boyfriend assailed his former partner, stabbing her and taking her hostage in the Skyways shop itself. With the authorities alerted and quickly on the scene, the situation only came to a close when a police marksman opened fire, killing the jilted lover.
Attracting a little less attention, Skyways opened its next shop in Xianlin, followed by another branch at Hanzhong Men. Then there came the first of two babies, a small shop on Jiqing Men Da Jie beside Wanda Mall in Hexi.
In the intervening years, the shops at Hanzhong Men and Taiping Men have both since closed their doors.
All branches of Skyways are serviced by a central kitchen, as required under Chinese law. Today, some 15 people work therein, while the whole operation is now supported by a little over 50 employees.
And more continue to be sought for the second baby, resembling her sister in Hexi. Welcome to the neighbourhood, Skyways Tuolejia in Jiangning, some 8 years after the idea was first floated to open a shop in these parts. For now, the new shop is open from 10:00 until 16:00, while new staff get up to speed and the wrinkles are ironed out. Extending those opening times as soon as possible, however, is top of the agenda.
The new Skyways is located at 9 Jiangjun Avenue in Jiangning, as part of the Leshan Tiandi complex at the western end of Shengtai Xi Lu, and is but 30 seconds walk from exit 3 of Cuiping Shan Metro Station on Line S1.
