Mylapore's 121-Year-Old Crown Bakery Adapts With New Menu While Preserving Traditions

The Crown Bakery, an establishment operating since 1905 on Bazaar Road in Mylapore, continues to evolve under the stewardship of successive generations of the same family while navigating challenges including reduced physical access caused by ongoing Metro Rail construction work.

Originally founded by Kanthasamy Mudaliar, the 121-year-old bakery was subsequently passed to the family of the late M. Srinivasan. The shop is currently managed by his daughter, Bhavani Srinivasan, supported by the younger generation of the family, including Srinivasan's 23-year-old granddaughter Keerthana V.

The bakery has remained predominantly women-run following the death of M. Srinivasan. His family includes four daughters, each of whom has a daughter. Eight grandchildren in total form the upcoming generation of custodians.

During a renovation carried out approximately five months ago, the establishment expanded its showcases from two to three to accommodate new additions suggested by younger family members. The updated repertoire features ice cream cakes, puffs, and pastries, introduced alongside traditional offerings.

Despite the modern additions, the bakery maintains its original recipes, which remain written on paper preserved across decades. Core staples include breads, buns, soup sticks given to teething infants, and fresh bun-butter jam, which continues to be assembled directly in front of customers upon order rather than pre-packaged on shelves.

Family accounts passed down from Srinivasan note that during World War II, the bakery rationed bread and supplied British personnel stationed in the area when distribution was limited among local shops.

The bakery also maintains high seasonal demand for its rum-soaked plum cake ahead of Christmas, with customers purchasing the item locally and dispatching it abroad to family members.