Editor’s note – This is the first in a series of stories on the changing storefronts in uptown Mount Vernon. A number of businesses are moving or opening new storefront locations in the coming months.
White Tree Bakery is now open in new space at First Street Community Center Wednesdays through Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jen Juhl, owner of the bakery, said she was contacted by Aaron Gerbo of the Local Crumb Bakery and asked if she was looking for any commercial baking space.
“I’d been searching quietly for some commercial baking space over the past few months, and had even asked Rick and Trude if there was any space at First Street Community Center,” Juhl said. “It was just like kismet in the universe that this space had opened.”
Juhl said the bakery, which she had just begun at her home roughly a year ago, had hit the capacity of what she could do, and opening in a commercial space was her next best option for growth.
Juhl said those Wednesday through Friday hours are what she is planning for now, with opportunities to expand as business increases.
She will always have treats of the day in her display cases and in the kitchen for people to purchase.
She will also continue her themed holiday boxes, based around different holidays, which proved popular in the past. Instead of picking up orders at her home, she will now have pick-ups at the First Street Community Center storefront instead.
“I’m working on finishing the design for a website in the future that will highlight all of the products I’m willing to produce,” Juhl said. “My cake, cookies, cheesecake and other baked good offerings can still be ordered via emails.”
Juhl said it was nice to have a separate business location from her home, even if it is only two blocks away.
Some of her early challenges have been with the organization of the bakery space.
“We had to get in to do a little bit of painting and set up of this space in January, and while I’m able to cook on electric ovens, there’s certain limitations of how much power those ovens can draw,” Juhl said.
Juhl is also working on a menu that will be featured on the website and in store to let people know what she can create when they are placing orders.
Her father helped set up her treat display case.
Becca Owen stopped in Wednesday morning and said she was excited for the new bakery to be opening in the First Street Community Center.
“That community support has meant all the world to me as I’m moving from a bakery in my home to a commercial space,” Juhl said. “I’m really excited for the bakery to be open here at this location moving forward.”