North Campus bakery Texas French Bread  reopened on Nov. 15 as an outdoor patio and trailer following a fire last Spring.

Although customers can no longer take a peek at the crew slinging baguettes and loaves of fresh bread, they can buy the same goods. TFB is now located across from their damaged building at 2900 Rio Grande as a trailer, in what was previously the bakery’s outdoor seating area.

“We have a huge following of regulars, many of whom I just hadn’t really seen in a year,” said owner Murph Wilcott.  “People are coming back and seeing each other, people  normally only saw each other in the context of coming to Texas French bread.”

Wilcott’s parents opened TFB in 1981, but Wilcott took ownership himself in 2007. Willcott said the bakery prides itself on sustainable food sourcing and enjoys selling their various baked goods to coffee shops and farmers markets in the Austin area.

Willcott said the bakery initially started off selling baguettes, a nod at their french namesake. Eventually, the shop grew from baked goods to sandwiches and coffee to a full menu. Following the fire in April, all baking operations ceased, including provisions for other businesses.

“Rebuilding that building is a very expensive proposition that will require either outside investors or borrowing a fairly substantial amount of money,” Willcott said. “We’ve invited people in the business community to submit proposals to us where we would try to partner with somebody who has the expertise in building … these things just take time.”

Currently, all TFB goods are being baked at a nearby ghost kitchen until they find a permanent solution.

“In the meantime, we’re really excited to be open in the garden again.” Willcott said.

After the fire, a friend of Wilcott opened a GoFundMe account to raise money to provide financial assistance for TFB. Contributors raised close to $200,000.

“All of that money actually went to pay for staff severance costs in the wake of the fire,” Willcott said.

Megan Thomas, a University alum and former TFB employee, witnessed the building’s fire in April.

“It was shocking because I’m just a college student going into a minimum wage packing job,” Thomas said. “Then the next thing I know I’m watching this place I just was inside of get completely engulfed — and (I) panic.”

After the fire, Thomas said that the owners of TFB helped former employees in finding alternative jobs.

Despite no longer working with TFB, Thomas said she was glad to see the bakery reopen and to see this portion of the community back on its feet.