Aunt Millie's Port Huron Bakery Outlet permanently closes

Aunt Millie's Port Huron Bakery Outlet has permanently closed its doors at 3480 Lapeer Road in Port Huron Township.

The discount store announced the closure on social media Wednesday and on Thursday a sign could be seen hanging on the door, apologizing for any inconvenience caused by the closure.

“Please know we are taking this matter and those affected seriously,” the sign stated. “Thank you for being understanding.”

At Aunt Millie’s thrift stores, people can buy company products at discounted prices, sometimes close to the best-by dates and sometimes fresh, according to the Port Huron Township location's Facebook page.

Corporate spokeswoman Melinda Hartline said the closure is due to a labor shortage and there has been less product being returned from stores to the outlet, as stores are selling the products.

“So the outlets don’t have the product to sell,” Hartline said.

She said currently the Port Huron Township store is the only one closing, but every outlet store will be monitored moving forward.

Hartline wasn’t sure how many employees the store had but hoped they had been relocated to other locations. People can still get Aunt Millie’s products in the Blue Water Area from local retailers.

Kimball Township resident Calli Micoff-Bruinsma said in a written message although the big-name grocery stores will still have the products, it won't have the same selection and she will miss going to Aunt Millie's Port Huron Bakery Outlet.

At least one member of her family would go to the store almost weekly, usually her grandmother, and she went with her fairly regularly.

The staff was always friendly and it helped save money on grocery bills, Micoff-Bruinsma said. 

“I think the community is losing a lot with losing the Aunt Millie's store,” she said.

Contact Bryce Airgood at (810) 989-6202 or bairgood@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @bairgood123.