08 Jan 2025
A teenage entrepreneur has opened an innovative new bakery in one of St Albans’ most prestigious streets.
Oliver Broxton, 18, who was born and bred in Chiswell Green, is the creative force behind Glaze, located at 19 George Street, in premises previously occupied by Thorns sweet shop and tobacconist.
Alongside standard baked goods like New York bagels and croissants, the patisserie also has some surprising creations which you are unlikely to find elsewhere.
As Glaze’s website declares: “We’re all about treating you to baked goods that make you pause, sigh, and possibly dance a little in your seat. If you’re looking for brookies that blur the line between brownie and cookie in all the best ways, bread that’s fresh enough to give your toaster a purpose, and pastries so flaky they’ve basically ghosted the gym—well, come on in! This is the place.
“We’re not just here to feed you; we’re here to wow you. Every item in our display case is created to make you feel like you just scored the dessert jackpot. A Glaze visit isn’t just about grabbing a quick bite; it’s a mouthwatering escape from the ordinary.”
Oliver said he has been overwhelmed by the support he’s received on Facebook since announcing the opening: “I’m perplexed, excited and everything in between!”
Having been running businesses since he was 16 – including his previous wholesale venture Lenny’s Bakehouse – as well as working as a buyer for Mountain Warehouse in London, his dream was always to open his own bakery in this very shop.
“I fell in love with it when I was 16, particularly the wooden beams! I could see the potential, I had the interior pinned out and knew what colours I wanted for the branding, and incredibly I received a call from my estate agent the day I finished my job in London saying it was available.
“Burgundy is a timeless colour which creates a homely vibe, and I wanted Glaze to feel like home.”
Baking has been a huge part of Oliver’s life since an early age: “As someone once said, cooking is feeling, baking is art and science, and that really resonates for me.
“Glaze is me doing what I want to do. We have the classics, but we’ll also be selling some riskier things and pushing the boundaries of baking.”
Coming straight out of the oven when the St Albans Times visited was a croissant wrapped and filled with choc-chip cookie, which illustrates perfectly what Glaze is all about.
Alongside baked goods, the shop also offers coffee from independent specialist roasters Fireheart, based in north London, with their house coffee an organic blend of Honduras and Peruvian beans.
It opened its doors today (Wednesday).
