Remember the rumors of an acclaimed baker coming to Bremerton? They’re true, and you’ll even have a chance to try out some product at a special event Friday.

Matt Tinder and his fiancee Kate Giuggo, owners of Saboteur Bakery, will open a pop-up bakery at 6 p.m. Friday at Honor Bar, 1223 McKenzie Avenue.

Tinder and Giuggo recently relocated to Bremerton following stints in San Francisco and Napa Valley, where Tinder worked at Michelin-starred restaurants. When it came to opening a bakery, however, they found a lot of red tape in California.

So they came north.

In a happy accident, Tinder stumbled upon Bremerton’s Quonset hut, that practically indestructible semicircular abode with a steel exterior 3/4 of an inch thick. The couple felt Bremerton has an “up and coming vibe,” reminding them of the urban Renaissance that Oakland, California’s been experiencing.

They plan to convert the hut into a commercial bakery, with deliveries and pickups in the back and retail in the front. They’d like to open the fenced yard into a grassy picnic area that feels connected to Evergreen-Rotary Park across the street.

Tinder said demand for their product around the region will support their operations. He’s hopeful Bremerton can help support them, too, but he believes the bakery will be successful regardless. He sees the city as going through a kind of revival and wants to be a part of that, even if it takes time, he said.

Tinder said they’re blessed to have a product they can sell regionally, but do so as Bremerton changes. “However long it takes, we can wait it out,” he said.

They plan to open in the spring. But in the meantime, you can get a sneak peek Friday.

Artists have frequently found inspiration inside Bremerton’s Quonset hut, an iconic city dwelling near Evergreen-Rotary Park.

Perhaps a baker will soon, too.

An accomplished pastry chef is rumored to be eyeing the location, at 301 13th Street, according to the Eater Seattle blog. His name is Matt Tinder, and his resume includes stints at Michelin-starred locations including The Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena, California, and Coi in San Francisco.

Tinder has a sister in Seattle, the blog says, and has been looking for a bakery location. Enter Bremerton. From the piece:

“They ended up finding a space on 13th Street in Bremerton, near the waterfront and across the street from Evergreen Rotary Park. The “space” is actually a Quonset hut that Tinder and (his fiance Kate) Giuggio will transform into their bakery, complete with retail space too. They’ll start working on the space October 1, with the aim of opening in February. Ideally they’ll have a “San Francisco-inspired parklet” in front, as well as picnic space in the back.

Tinder will mill his own grains on site, and he plans to use entirely Washington ingredients. Expect breads, morning pastries like croissants and brioches, and “hard-to-find, naturally-leavened breads.” Much of the ingredients and offerings list is still evolving, and Tinder will begin building partnerships once his feet hit the ground in Bremerton.”

So, exciting! Here’s what I’ve been able to find out so far:

I caught up with Quonset hut owner Andrew Johnston, who I interviewed a few months ago for my story on the Quonset hut. Johnston said Tinder is a friend and that he’d love a bakery in the space. But he stopped short of making any confirmation that Tinder is a tenant, let alone that a bakery would be opening in February there, as the blog reports.

I checked with the city’s Community Development Office, but alas, no permits as yet.

And, of course, I knocked on the door of the hut. No luck yet.

I did find Tinder on Twitter. I followed him, and he followed me back. Here’s hoping I hear from him soon. As soon as I hear more, I will let you know.