Interview with Beverly Bean, owner
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: Owning a bakery was a childhood dream. I had worked in the medical field for 15 years when the opportunity to purchase my first bakery in Granby, Colo., presented itself in 1986. I had been doing a lot of baking at home, so now I had to learn the commercial methods. It is a lot of labor and long hours, but it’s rewarding when people to enjoy what you have produced. I have since opened seven businesses, turning vacant buildings into thriving restaurants with a bakery. This location is a compilation of the others, and does more of the bakery items I have been wanting to do in the past.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: We do a lot of special orders in addition to all the items we stock regularly. There are a lot of various bakery products like cinnamon rolls, pecan sticky buns, turnovers, apple streudel, croissants — plain, chocolate and raspberry cream cheese — danish, large cookies, carrot cake and gluten-free carrot cake, three-layer chocolate cake with ganache frosting, pies, mini-eclairs, cake pops, cheesecake balls, Rice Krispie treats, whoopie pies, donut muffins and brownies. We also make a variety of bread and our menu includes full breakfast and lunch items, along with pizzas. We also do a variety of gluten-free bakery goodies in addition to gluten-free breakfast and lunch items. We are capable of customizing most any menu item to meet most of the customers special dietary needs.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: I really enjoy the customers enjoying what we make. I guess you could call me a bake-aholic. I go home and bake some more. I am able to bring home-style cooking and baking to customers when the other places are mostly chain restaurants and rather boring. Having traveled with my prior business, I have been exposed to many different cuisines and bakery items. Bringing some of those to my business has been fun, to please customers not expecting to find their favorites here in Denver.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: As is true with most businesses these days, finding quality employees seems to be the most challenging.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: I have been baking for 60 years. I have had no formal training in baking or cooking, but do what I think people truly enjoy — real food. I have a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in marketing, and have been operating these bakery/restaurants since January 1987. I don’t miss the corporate business much, either.
Profile
Business: Bev’s Kitchen
Address: 6780 S. Liverpool St., Unit D
Hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily
Founded: 2013
Contact: 303-680-1941,
Employees: 5
