Brio Bakery opens Mill Creek location as founders step back
New Whyte-area outpost opens after owners acquire the beloved bread operation from its founders.
Brio Bakery, the Edmonton bread institution founded by Todd and Sian Barraclough in 2019, has opened a second location at 9614 82 Avenue NW in Mill Creek — and new ownership is driving the expansion.
Milos Cvijanovic and Mateja Jelecevic bought the original Wîhkwêntôwin location nearly three years ago. When longtime fans Paul Blais and Shawna Lindberg from Blais Realty Group purchased a building on the north side and wanted Brio to anchor it, the owners saw the right fit. The Mill Creek bakery opened at the end of April to immediate positive reception.
"Lots of regulars are happy they don't have to cross the river anymore," Cvijanovic said. "But there are also a lot of new faces. Many people heard about us and now have the chance to come."
The original Barracloughs transitioned from farmers' market vendors to running a storefront bakery, but Todd loved baking bread more than running a business. "They saw a few people who inquired about the business, and I guess we were a good fit," Cvijanovic said.
When the change of ownership happened, some regulars worried. "Customers were scared of new owners," Cvijanovic said. "They were worried about nothing being the same. But then they said, 'You guys are doing the exact same thing.'" That consistency appears to have paid off. Cvijanovic bought an existing catering company in 2015 with the same philosophy — established brand, loyal customer base, lower startup cost than building from scratch. "You need less capital to start something, but you would need to promote it to bring it to where you want it to be," he said.
The Mill Creek opening shows Brio's staying power. The bread is the same; the neighborhood access just got wider.