About two months after unveiling its first “pastry ATM” in South Philly, Flakely Gluten Free bakery is expanding its reach with another vending machine — this time in the suburbs.
Manayunk-based Flakely is preparing to open its second pastry ATM at the Free Will Collective, which sells curated local glass art, clothing, jewelry and more at 31 Cricket Ave. in Ardmore. The new vending machine should be installed by “early fall,” according to Flakely owner Lila Colello.
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In June, Flakely unveiled its first pastry ATM at the Salt & Vinegar store at 905 S. 9th St. in the Italian Market. Since then, Colello said the ATM has been “doing well” and she has had to restock it two times every week this summer.
To use a “pastry ATM,” customers can tap their credit card, open the door and grab their desired pastry from the freezer. Each item is tagged with a microchip, so any product that leaves the vending machine will be charged to the card.
The vending machine in South Philly holds Flakely’s bestselling items, including gluten-free croissants, bagels, baguettes, cakes and “pop-tart” pastries. It has four shelves, and can hold approximately 60 items at once. The treats are kept frozen in the vending machine, and can be taken home and heated up. The ATM in Ardmore is expected to contain the same items as the original machine.
Colello — an experienced pastry chef who perfected gluten-free recipes after being diagnosed with celiac disease — opened Flakely in 2021 at 220 Krams Avenue in Manayunk. On Wednesday, Flakely was named the No. 5 best gluten-free bakery in the United States by USA Today’s Readers’ Choice vote.
“I’ve been on a very long road to build something special — something where I could create and serve people in our gluten-free community,” Colello said in a release. “… This award means the world to me, and not just to say that I won something, but as a reminder that what we’re doing really matters to the community.”
In Manayunk, Flakely’s takeout window is open two days a week, on Thursdays from noon-3 p.m. and Saturdays from noon-2 p.m., for walk-ups and preorder pickups. Colello determined that she could serve even more customers by installing the ATMs full of pastries at places that are open daily. Plus, unusual vending machines have been all the rage lately, with several opening in Philadelphia in the past year — including a 24-hour cheese vending machine at Perrystead Dairy and a dog treat ATM at TD Bank’s South Philly location.