| Sometimes you visit a website like this one and you just wanna know a little more about the folks who own and operate a cool bakery and cafe like this one, right? This page is for you! Or it is a start to such a page ....
Once upon a time in a land far, far away ....
In late 2006 Kim Davis and Claire Olson met at the local (very cool) public library for the kids story hour. Week after week all the moms would chat about what they dreamed of doing, what was going on in their lives and local gossip and news. Kim and Claire struck up conversations on food again and again finding that they had a real common thread in their love of great food. As time passed they discussed their favorite spots to eat and the limited local options for whole, natural and organic foods. One conversation lead to many, many more as Kim and Claire began to see a spark of idea turn into the realization of their common dream. A coffee shop. A lunch spot. A bakery. Picture a talented pastry chef/mom and a fire cracker start up girl/mom and you've got the team that got this cool business off the ground in record time! The girls visited the local SBA offices to fine tune their 50 page business plan and kept up those meetings around nap times, dinners for hard working husbands and other job obligations. Soon these hard hours of work would turn into something very, very special. Through the wonderful supportive efforts of local residents Nikki Little, Steve Walker Sr., Barbara Hughes and many, many others the girls opened their doors as Tupelo's Bakery & Cafe in October of 2007. With a shop full to the brim with antiques and a kitchen tucked back in the corner they started off on a blur of work, work, work, fun, fun, fun with the girls putting in 60+ hour weeks.
Those first few months introduced the girls to their customer base in a big way. Who's who wouldn't begin to describe it as the girls sorted out names and faces and more. There were tidal waves of opinion offered every day - 3 different items a day?, you should fry donuts, you need Coke products, I want dinner, why don't you cater - and on and on. As days passed the girls made dear friends, not the least of which was Carlo, who famously pulled Claire aside to conspire by telling his tale and saying "ok, now you say something!" in a thick mobster voice. It was the beginning to a quirky friendship that lasted until his death. Many marriages, babies, divorces, and deaths have occurred and been felt deeply by both the girls and the residents who enjoy this bakery and cafe so dearly. The front counter acts as a therapy couch, sounding board, soap box and comforting arms over and over. Visitors from near and far, as well as residents, share their tales and all are richer for hearing them.
The year 2008 saw many new changes with the antiques going and a more open space taking shape in addition to new, longer menus. Their hours slowed down to a mellow 50+/- hours a week and they thought they'd hit the lotto. The girls giggle now at all the tricks they've tried over the years to make the business even more viable or to satisfy one friend or another - selling soaps and recycled handbags from a small company in GA, selling chocolates, antique vendors renting rooms, plant vendors piling things just about everywhere, renting the front room for strange little kids' parties, local artists, jewelery, blue plate specials, etc. etc. - what a hoot! But through it all remained a strong sense of purpose for both Kim and Claire: providing organic, natural whole food options for breakfast, lunch and special occasions to the community of Monticello.
Their friendships with the customers solidified over time and kept Kim and Claire cheered up and sustained as they headed into their third year in business. As 2009 rolled to an end there were physical changes for the space too thanks to good friends at Kessler Construction .... a new zip line carried lunch orders from the front counter areas into the newly sectioned off kitchen area and the awaiting hands of the chef. Installed by a local character and fabulous welder named Rudy Scheese, who famously ate coconut cake with a hunting knife right at the register! One thing was sure ... this is not a boring place!
Rocking and rolling into 2010 the bakery and its owners saw their biggest changes yet. After considerable thought and soul searching it was clear to Claire she needed to return home to her children and other creative pursuits. Oh the tears, the worries that flowed! "We can do anything we set our minds to!" became the mantra and it was back to drawing board. It was almost too much to figure out but their smart business sense, true friendship and sincerity won out and the girls reconfigured their business to met the new needs of both its owners. Actually it worked out surprising well for both Kim and Claire. It goes to show what a great partnership this bakery and cafe has behind it .... and what fabulous foods it offers.
Rolling right into 2011, still full of vim and vigor for their little organic bakery, owners Kim and Claire have come through quite a journey. Tupelo's has been fabulous during this economic downturn - THANKS TO GREAT CUSTOMERS! Much of the bakery's success has to be attributed to Kim and Claire's ability to evolve and their passion for great food...and most certainly to all of the wonderful customers who also appreciate everything the bakery has to offer. This ensures that we will all be enjoying Tupelo's for a long time to come.
We've hired two new employees too! Christina is working now as our Assistant Chef and learning all the tricks of the trade under Chef Kim's expert eye. It's been a funky fun time to watch this wee little bakery morph into a real business with actual employees ... :) Our counter took on a decidedly KITTY look with the addition of our counter girl Kendall who brings our wacky, eclectic sense up to date with Twitter and Facebook accounts and general off beat humor. We are heading in to our fifth year soon with lots of energy and ideas and an ever evolving business. Stay tuned .... we're always full of change and fun. It is really hard to know what Tupelo's will do next ... hey if you figure it out go ahead and tell us!
So we open up the new year, 2012, with an entirely new chapter. After much heartfelt consideration, Claire decided to leave Tupelo's to devote all of her time to her incredible journey homeschooling her two wonderful kiddos, heading up the Jefferson County 4-H...who knows what else this cool chick's got up her sleeve. All I know is I never could have started it up without her talents, vision, and hard working ethic...we're forever veterans of this small business, having shared in so many early morning philosophical conversations, belly laughs, crazy friendships, long long hours in the kitchen, tearful moments, and love of great wholesome food. What a journey. Here I go now, Kim, solo at the helm, but still committed to sharing our food vision with all you loyal customers. Let's see what 2012 has in store for us next...
.... and so the Princesses lived happily ever after.
| |