There are a lot of sources of goodies here on the island – a lot – but one thing we lack is a little, affordable bakery with good muffins, cookies, and donuts.
People often open businesses here that you just know will go under within months. Tragically, we watch it happen time and again. Some people have quality things and a lot of hope but somehow don’t realize that this quiet island of 2,500 or so cannot support on a constant basis the niche items they’re trying to sell. They create beautiful stores and there’s no one here that needs what they have. It’s so hard to watch. They have all the best intentions and the coolest things, and you just know they’re going to suffer heavy losses the minute they put their signs up. Other business starters hope that the stunning summer months abounding with tourists from around the world will cover the costs of their vacant shops during the long, gray, quiet winter.
I think one of the only sure things here would be an affordable bakery. We have several places that specialize in one thing and sell goodies on the side (Enzo’s, Kathryn Taylor Chocolates, Island Market). And we have the beautiful Brown Bear Baking that creates homemade works of art that cost much more than I can stomach. I applaud what they make and how hard they work, and have been meaning to have a post on their fine edibles and very photogenic bakery. Their handmade breads, decadent muffins, and artful pastries are not to be knocked. You can watch them working hard at creating them and have immediate respect for what they do. I still plan to highlight them because what they do is beautiful. But at $5 for a muffin and $7-10 for a slice of quiche or piece of homemade bread with colorful sauteed vegetables and melted cheese, it’s out of my price range. I only buy things there if they are gifts for my mom or other people. I feel too guilty buying something for myself. I’m just plain frugal.
While the last thing we Americans need is more donuts and baked goods, and I would probably never open the type of bakery I’m promoting in this post because I’d feel bad about fattening the population as my life’s mission, I do miss the occasional muffin or cookie that I don’t have to bake myself. I already eat quite healthfully on the whole, so when I’m in the mood to splurge on something and I bake things myself, I save a lot of money but then I have too many goodies looking at me for the next few days that I do not need to eat. I liked when Teezer’s was here because cookies are my favorite indulgence. I could go there, spend $2 on a cookie (they were $1 when we first moved here), and not have to eat another one for awhile.
Yesterday we were on the mainland where you can buy a container of 6 fresh chocolate chocolate chip muffins at Safeway for $5. They’re made everyday, they taste great, and they’re less than $1 each. Everyone is used to having access to affordable options like that, but here on Orcas Island they often don’t exist.
There are probably enough people here who would frequent an affordable bakery, even in the winter months (perhaps especially in the winter months), so I would bet it would fly if located in a really obvious and accessible place downtown. I hear that a new one opened a few days ago, but I haven’t even seen where it is. That’s pretty hidden for tiny Eastsound. Location, location, location. Maybe I’ll go try to find it today…
