Grazer baker opens first New York branch with rye bread

Graz bakery entrepreneur Martin Auer and his son Tim have opened the company’s first branch outside Austria in New York, about a year later than planned, ORF reported. The shop, called Rye, aims to bring a piece of Styrian bread culture to the United States.

The store in the heart of Manhattan sells only 100 percent rye sourdough loaves made with organically grown Austrian rye, along with open-faced breads topped with spreads.

“We never wanted to simply open another bakery in New York,” Auer said. “Baguettes, croissants, wheat bread and coffee are available there in great variety and, in some cases, excellent quality. We are therefore focusing on what we are exceptionally good at.”

The branch is located at 285 Lafayette Street. The company said the building and the address have a particular history because musician David Bowie lived there for many years.

Martin Auer Bakery is a family-owned company based in Graz. It operates 42 branches, mainly in Graz and the surrounding area, as well as in Gleisdorf, Lieboch, Leibnitz, Vienna and at six locations in Carinthia. The company said it has around 800 employees and annual revenue of about 48 million euros.

The New York branch was originally scheduled to open in autumn 2025.