When Community First Credit Union purchased Murray Hill’s old Edgewood Bakery building in 2024, the team knew converting the former bakery into a new branch would be an undertaking.
Typically, the company purchases a former bank building or builds one from scratch. In this instance, Community First intends to renovate and repurpose the existing building located at 1012 Edgewood Avenue South.
“It’s the first kind of historical property we’ve ever purchased,” President and CEO Sam Inman said.
Edgewood Bakery had been a Murray Hill staple from 1947 up until its closure in 2016. It had been sitting vacant ever since. Inman knew Edgewood Bakery’s history and saw it sitting vacant for years. When a for sale sign popped up at the property, Inman wondered if Community First could buy it and championed that purchase.
The company is operating under a demolition permit and is doing exploratory demo inside. It was issued civil permits in September and announced final renderings this month after receiving input from the city and the community.
“We are on target to complete permits,” Community First Credit Union COO Melissa Thomas said. “We don’t see any issues getting approvals by the end of the year.”
Once it receives final permits, construction is expected to begin in January and will take about nine to 10 months, according to Inman.
Current plans for the branch include a front lawn/social area with a food feature, a first for any branch in the Community First network. Architecture features not normally seen at Community First branches will also be included. It will also add a community room, which several community groups, like the Murray Hill Preservation Association, have already expressed excitement about.
“We’re really excited about what we’re going to offer,” Inman said. “We don’t want this to just be a credit union on the corner.”
The floorplan will be configured inside the existing building structure on one floor and will include a refreshed and redesigned parking lot in addition to a drive-thru and full exterior updates. It also plans to preserve some of the special features of Edgewood Bakery, like the pretzel door handles.
As in other branches, the interior will feature a mural depicting historical photos of the neighborhood. Inman said they plan to reach out to the community for photos of their time at the bakery. He said there was a time when Edgewood Bakery was the place to get wedding cakes, birthday cakes and cakes for any other major celebration.
“It should just be a very nostalgic experience for not only the people who knew Edgewood Bakery, but also for Murray Hill overall,” Inman said.
Community First anticipates the branch to be complete in late 2026.
