Interview with Alex and Stephanie Riddo, owners
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: Knead the Bakery grew from passion. After working together for 10 years and learning the trade at another bakery, we realized we had a passion for each other and the baking industry. We found love and decided to pursue our dreams — a dream to create, bake and share.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: At Knead the Bakery, we bake all of our pastries and breads from scratch each morning. Our philosophy is simple: We bake a select amount of products each day and waste no extra food. On the occasion we do have extras, we work with local charities and donate what we have not sold. We always want our customers to get the freshest pastries and breads every day at affordable prices.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: Knead the Bakery was founded on shared traditions and family connections. We strive to preserve “old school” methods of baking using only quality ingredients that have flavors reminiscent of Grandmother’s kitchen. When we create our fine pastries and breads and share them with our customers, it is as if we are sharing our table and our home — exchanging stories and good times. Our customers love to come in and bring new friends, helping us grow our business one relationship at a time. The best part about what we do is meeting new friends and extending our family. Of course, when we see our customers’ reactions when they taste our products, it is priceless.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: Running a family-owned business in the competitive world of corporate chain restaurants is always a challenge. Baking is an art that we take seriously. We chose our location intentionally. It’s tucked back from the main stream of traffic, allowing for a quieter and more comfortable atmosphere for our customers to feel at home with. Our bakery offers a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the day — even if only long enough to enjoy a cup of coffee, a pastry and a story or two. As a new local establishment, attracting new customers can also be a challenge. We are thankful for the support and word-of-mouth advertising.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: Many people are surprised to hear how young we are and that we are ambitious for starting our own company. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make a business thrive and we believe that our youthful energy helps us maintain the long hours and physical demands of our trade. Both of us began our training as teenagers — working closely with a master baker and learning the trade from the front to the back of the house. We began our bakery as contractors to local farmers markets (and still supply many of them to this day) and enjoy how our bakery is growing day by day.
Profile
Business: Knead the Bakery
Address: 6510 Wadsworth Blvd., No. 200, Arvada
Hours: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday
Founded: 2013
Contact: 303-993-3804,
Employees: 2
