Montana Gold Bread Company has been in Richmond for three decades. The bakery opened its Cary Street doors on March 17, 1994, where it still sells loaves, sweet treats, and box lunches today.

30 years is a long time — Montana Gold has been around longer than the Arthur Ashe Monument (1996), the Siegel Center (1999), and the Capital Trail (2006). In that time, owner Sher Lahvic says the area has changed "immensely."

When Sher and her husband, Rich, opened Montana Gold, they had a three-year-old and a five-year-old. Now they have three grandchildren. Sher says that they often have customers come through — arriving to the store with their own children in tow — who say they've been eating Montana Gold Bread since they were kids themselves.

Montana Gold's bread and other baked goods have been feeding Richmond for three decades. | Photo by RICtoday

The Lahvics were both working corporate jobs in Florida when they decided they wanted to open a bakery. Rich drove from Florida to Boston and back looking at potential locations ideal for starting a business and raising a family.

They narrowed things down to two locations: Boston and Richmond. Massachusetts winters sounded too cold for Sher, however, so they settled on the River City — sorry, BOStoday.

In the decades since, Montana Gold has been an anchor in one of the most persistently changing parts of the city. Even through the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a big hit to the bakery's catering business, Richmonders still had a need for the Lahvics' signature loaves.

“I’m really proud that we’re a part of the community,” Sher said.

Since the bakery is closed on Sundays, Montana Gold is celebrating 30 years on Friday and Saturday, March 15-16.change for NL Stop by for a local slice, and keep your eyes open for some commemorative cookies — while supplies last.