Tonya's Café Opens Pop-Up at 900 Willow
The bakery plans a temporary shop in mid-November while its fire-damaged main kitchen is repaired.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Tonya's Café & Bakeshop will open a pop-up shop at 900 Willow in mid-November, operating six days a week with Take & Bake orders, pecan crisp cookies and other holiday desserts. The bakery is repairing its main kitchen after a September 19 fire at 400 South Elliott Road.
Why it matters
The pop-up gives customers a way to keep buying from Tonya's while its primary kitchen is out of service. Its Thanksgiving pick-up location will also serve holiday meal orders in Chapel Hill.
The GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $52,000 from 321 donations toward an adjusted goal of $100,000. Insurance will not cover the full cost of replacing all commercial kitchen equipment, and the source gives no reopening date for the main kitchen.
The players
Tonya's Café & Bakeshop
A Chapel Hill bakery known for its cafe and baked goods, which is recovering from a fire and operating a temporary pop-up location.
The details
The pop-up shop at 900 Willow will offer Take & Bake orders, pecan crisp cookies and other holiday desserts, with online orders available through the bakeshop's website. The 900 Willow space will also serve as the pick-up location for Thanksgiving meal orders, while the café closed its fire-damaged Galleria space for smoke and water damage renovations.
Timeline
September 19: Fire at 400 South Elliott Road damages the café.
Mid-November: Pop-up shop opens at 900 Willow.
November 24 and 25: Thanksgiving meals, sides and pies available for pick-up.
Openings & Closings Context
The pop-up at 900 Willow places a temporary bakery operation in University Place while the business rebuilds its primary kitchen, a pattern of short-term relocation small food businesses use to keep revenue flowing during repairs. The Galleria shopping center remains the location of the restored café space once renovations are complete.
Customers who want Tonya's pastries and holiday meals can order online and pick up at 900 Willow during the pop-up's Monday through Saturday hours. Thanksgiving orders can be collected on November 24 and 25.
The takeaway
Local customers can keep supporting Tonya's during its recovery by ordering online for the pop-up or contributing to the fundraising campaign. Checking the bakeshop's website before November pick-ups will confirm current order details.
What happens next
The pop-up shop opens in mid-November, and Thanksgiving meal pick-up is scheduled for November 24 and 25.
Further reading
For more local business changes, browse Openings & Closings in Chapel Hill.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chapelboro.
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