Penzeys Spices is closing its Montgomery Village location after 13 years

Popular spice chain Penzeys Spices will close its Montgomery Village location in Santa Rosa, which has been a destination for Bay Area spice lovers for more than a decade.

According to an announcement posted in the shop’s window, the store will officially close at 5 p.m. March 19.

“Thank you for all the years of support,” the announcement said. “We appreciate your business.”

The Press Democrat has reached out to the Wisconsin-based spice shop chain for comment but has not received a response.

“Montgomery Village has enjoyed having Penzeys as a tenant for more than a decade and while they have decided to close, we appreciate their partnership and their many contributions to the community through the years,” Montgomery Village General Manager Brittany Mundarain said in a statement.

Penzeys Spices has been in Montgomery Village since December 2010. The chain has been known for its variety of cooking spices and seasonings, along with its strong political stance and activism shown on specialized labels.

For example, whenever a customer purchases Penzeys Pepper, the company donates one jar to an organization that feeds people in need.

Other labels are more extreme, such as the Penzeys Outrage of Love spice, which questions the response of the Republican Party after the Jan. 6 Insurrection and the “party’s transition to fascism.”

The company even has an “About Republicans” page right next to its “About Us” page.

The company’s owner, Bill Penzey — who could not be reached for comment — said in a statement on the company website that being a spice business means acknowledging that spices are so intertwined with the world and its history.

“In a world of constant change and disconnect, the spices we use and how we use them really do open a door to those that came before us and the hard-won wisdom that they learned,” he said in the statement.

“It is this strength to stand up for what is right and speak out against what isn’t that Penzeys seeks to grow.”

There are three other Penzeys locations in California with the next closest location being Menlo Park.

You can reach Staff Writer Sara Edwards at 707-521-5487 or sara.edwards@pressdemocrat. com. On Twitter @sedwards380.