Naegelin's Bakery - New Braunfels

Naegelin's Bakery is supposed to be the oldest bakery in Texas.  It's on Seguin Avenue right smack in the center of town.  

When I first visited it I was a little disappointed.  It seems to be advertised as a tourist spot, but that is where the marketing ends.  There are no tourist trappings inside.  It's quite run down (in a not-so-quaint way) and there are no souvenirs or nick-nacks for sale.  

They also have no merchandising skills whatsoever.  Menu signage consists of a dry erase board, no logo or branding of bags/boxes, and they do things like put a sheet pan (straight out of the oven) of brownies in the display case and cut portions as needed from it (leaving crumbs and broken chunks right there in customer's view)

I go back regularly though because - they are damn good bakers!  Bread, cookies, brownies, pastries - it's all good.  Homestyle kind of good..... you know, the kind of stuff that came out of your grandmother's oven.  The only thing I've eaten from there I didn't care for was the sweet pretzels (which - ironically is really the only "touristy" thing they make).

If I was to ever get back into the food industry, it would be the bakery business.  I am reminded I still have the "bug" every time I step into Naegelin's and feel the overwhelming urge to put in track lighting, offer free samples, and stamp their logo on every bag/box they send out.