Vons Bakery at 8011 University Avenue operates the in-store bakery department of La Mesa's University Avenue Vons, producing custom cakes, fresh-baked breads, muffins, and cookie trays from scratch in a facility backed by the Albertsons Companies supply chain. The morning pastry case stocks alongside grab-and-go breakfast items in a corridor shared with Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, where La Mesa's coffee shops La Mesa crowd pairs single-origin espresso with fresh bakery goods. The Vons brand traces to 1906, when Charles Von der Ahe launched Von's Groceteria from a 20-foot-wide storefront at Seventh and Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles, pioneering cash-and-carry and self-service grocery formats that defined the modern supermarket. This University Avenue bakery department handles custom cake orders through an in-app builder that lets customers select flavor, filling, icing, and themed character designs for pickup, a convenience layer that complements the sit-down dining options lining University Avenue toward Pho Superbowl at the eastern end. Decorators finish each custom cake on-site using buttercream and fondant techniques, with tiered wedding and event configurations available through the catering counter.