Wilson's Jewel Bakery, a Santa Clara institution that turned out scrumptious confections and wedding cakes for generations of valley residents, has closed its doors after nearly nine decades.

Stunned and saddened customers are being greeted by a sign on the bakery's front doors on Homestead Road announcing the closing.

``When did this happen?'' Vanessa Molina screamed as she read the sign Tuesday. ``I wanted a chocolate eclair. I always get chocolate eclairs here. You can't find eclairs like those anywhere.''

While city officials and devoted customers are looking for a sweet-tooth fix, Ken Wilson said closing the bakery his family has operated for 85 years was ``like losing a child.'' He said his family tried to sell the bakery about a year ago because of economic reasons but wasn't successful.

The store never reopened after the family announced in September that they were taking a two-week vacation and shutting down for that time.

``I can't believe they closed without saying goodbye to all their longtime customers, that there wasn't a last day where you could come and get some brownies or coffee cake one last time,'' said Marlene Meyer Date, 53, who had shopped at Wilson's since childhood.

``I got my wedding cake here,'' Date added, almost choking up. ``It was four tiers with white icing and pink flowers, the most beautiful cake you've ever seen.''

She and other customers who dropped by the bakery Tuesday for an afternoon snack, clueless about the closing, yanked at the front doors and pressed their faces against the big picture windows, where long display cases stood empty.

With themes from ``Star Wars'' and ``Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' to dinosaurs and cowboys and Indians, thousands of children's birthday parties featured Wilson's butter cream and whipped cream cakes. Wedding cakes also were in demand, as were the bakery's signature brownies -- with chocolate icing -- blueberry and bran muffins and molasses cookies. Most Saturdays and holidays, the line snaked out the doors.

``It's a terrible loss to the city,'' said Santa Clara Councilman Jamie Matthews. ``It is one of our most beloved businesses. It always made everyone's day sweeter.''

Matthews added: ``It's a hard business with long hours. You get up very early in the morning and you give up your weekends.''

Ken Wilson, vice president of the bakery, said he usually woke up as early as 2 a.m. to start baking and now looks forward to spending more time with his family.

It wasn't an easy decision, he said. ``We appreciate our loyal customers and everyone we've made happy over the years.''

His mother, Rosalie Wilson, 70, ran the bakery for years with her husband, William A. Wilson Jr., until his death in 1977. She was later joined by sons Ken and Alex.

Wilson's Jewel Bakery is among a dwindling breed of mom-and-pop businesses that have closed during the past several years throughout the valley, including Lou's Living Donut Museum in San Jose.

The bakery goes back to the late 1890s in what was then downtown Santa Clara. Rosalie Wilson's father-in-law, William A. Wilson Sr., purchased the confectionary known as the Jewel Bakery in 1921. In the late 1950s, he turned over its operation to his son, William.

Wilson's had a reputation for doing just about anything with a cake, from copying photographs onto them to incorporating keepsakes, flowers, antiques or anything else a customer wanted. The bakery even made cakes for dog birthday parties.

Former Santa Clara Councilwoman Lisa Gillmor, who grew up in Santa Clara, said her grandmother used to take her to Wilson's to buy Spanish cookies and they would go home and make Spanish tea.

``I can almost taste it now, it's such a fond memory,'' said Gillmor, whose family owns a real estate firm a few doors down from Wilson's. ``My grandmother was a fabulous cook, but Wilson's bakery was the treat.''

Gillmor said she now takes her children to Wilson's when running errands or when they're visiting her at work.

``Our office has been here since the 1960s and to this day when I'm trying to give directions to it, I say, `Do you know where Wilson's bakery is?' They say, `yes,' and I say, `That's where I am.' ''

Gillmor said she went to the bakery to discuss city politics, because the Wilson family has played a significant role in it. Rosalie Wilson is on several local boards, including serving as president of the Triton Museum of Art board, and sits on the city's Historical & Landmarks Commission. The Bill Wilson Center in Santa Clara, a center for runaway and homeless youth, was named after her husband.

The Wilson family has been a longtime supporter of community groups and events, often giving baked goods to non-profit organizations.

``You could always get the pulse of what's going on by talking to Mrs. Wilson,'' Gillmor said. ``Now we'll have to go to her house to find her.''