Exploring Life & Business with Kendall Carlson of Blair’s Bakery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendall Carlson. 

Hi Kendall, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Food has always been something my family has been known for; a passion that has been passed on through the generations. At any family gathering, the food sits center stage, with menu planning taking the top of the priority list. So, growing up my sisters and I were always helping out in the kitchen in any way we could. It was just in our blood. As I got older, I started to have more freedom in choosing what my contributions to the meal would be and I always gravitated to desserts and anything in the “baking” categories over the “cooking” side of things, even though I have more of a salty tooth than a sweet tooth, something about baking was so satisfying. Cookies and Pies were my go-to’s and my Pecan Pie or Pecan Pie Bars started to be requested regularly. The fact that my family was asking me over and over again to prepare the same things was a big compliment to me because they all are so skilled themselves. It made me feel really good & boosted my confidence in my own abilities. And seeing them enjoy the food I prepared brought me so much joy. 

The whole process of baking is something I’ve always loved. Taking simple, basic ingredients like flour and water and turning it into something delicious is so satisfying. Almost therapeutic. And the little bit of magic that happens in the oven, completely transforming something wet and doughy into something fluffy or crusty and delicious (if you did everything right) is amazing. And what I’ve always found just as much joy and satisfaction in is seeing other people savor what I’ve made. Seeing people gobble up my cookies or devour a piece of pie and beg for more puts such a big smile on my face. I love being able to bring joy to others through a tasty bite or two … or three. So, any chance I could I was always offering to bring some banana bread or cookies or some other treat to my family friends or workmates just to see them smile. 

Then in March of 2020 Covid-19 put a hard and fast stop to all of that. I was happy to comply with the stay-at-home mandate in order to protect the community, but I no longer had anyone to bake for. I was furloughed from my job and all other activities were moved to Zoom. It was a tough transition to make. I was missing so much of my old life. But I also had more time on my hands. So much more time on my hands. I’m talking a ton of time on my hands! So, I did what everyone else at the time did, I downloaded this app called TikTok. And what was everyone doing on TikTok, aside from dancing & lip-syncing? Making bread! Up until now, I had only made bread a few times. I mean real, yeast bread. I had done “wet” breads, like banana bread or lemon loafs. And I had tackled biscuits and scone. But a true, crusty loaf of bread was just not something I had ever done, I figured now was as good of time as any to give it a shot. I guess that is what everyone else at the time was thinking because yeast was hard to come by at first. But I managed to get my hands on some and found a Pinterest recipe I was willing to tackle. Dutch-oven, no-knead, crusty bread. I added a little rosemary to mine because I have always had a hard time not tweaking recipes to make them my own, even if I’ve never made it before. And it turned out pretty good. My family loved it, and loved the smell of fresh bread in the house. So, I kept going. Making more adjustments to the recipes until I had a system down that became fool-proof. Well as fool-proof as can be when working with yeast, which I’ve discovered can have a mind of its own at times. 

I was happy to be baking again, but still missing that piece of joy that came from sharing my creations with other people. After thinking about what my options were and looking at local food delivery systems, I decided I could safely make bread deliveries to my friends and family in the area. So, I baked bread. Masked up, gloved up, and had my pump of sanitizer in the car. I would drop a package off on a friends’ doorstep, knock, and back away. They would pick up the bread, give a wave and smile, and maybe an air-hug. Then I’d head back home. At that time, after very minimal person-to-person contact, these brief, distanced interactions with people were such a boost to my spirits. Getting the messages back telling me how much they enjoyed my bread was giving me all the good feels again. I was getting asked for second and third loaves because they had devoured the first one in one day. And my friends were so generous they were offering to pay me to bring them more bread. I kept hearing over and over again “I’ll pay for another loaf” and then “You should be selling this. People would pay for this.” 

People would pay for this? Really? People would pay me for doing something I love to do? It had never even occurred to me that it was a possibility to turn this into a business. But with more and more encouragement and support from my friends, and especially my family, I thought okay, what have I got to lose. And before I knew it, I was a registered cottage baker and Blair’s Bakery was fully operational. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with anything in life, there have been some bumps on the road. I still have a 9-5 job that provides steady income, and other responsibilities to take care of. So, scheduling has been an issue. I’ve had to learn to say no when certain delivery days or times were requested and learn how to set boundaries. I’ve always viewed my time as my most valuable asset in my life. Starting a new business takes a lot of time. Sometimes it’s necessary and sometimes it’s not. I’ve learned how to prioritize things in my life so that this business adds to my joy and not my stress. I’ve also learned the truth to the old adage “You have to spend money to make money”. When it comes to bread there are always things to buy. I constantly have a grocery list of ingredients. I truly believe that quality ingredients make a difference, so finding high-quality ingredients at a reasonable price can be a challenge. I purchase more than an “average household” would of certain things, like bread flour. But not as much as say a restaurant or a brick-and-mortar bakery. So, finding suppliers for the quantities I need, without sacrificing quality, and still at a reasonable price can be a challenge. 

And then there is the bread itself. Yeast is a living thing with a mind of its own. So sometimes, for whatever reason, it just decides to not cooperate. Leaving me with lost time & money. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Blair’s Bakery is a registered cottage food bakery in the north metro. Blair’s Bakery offers a variety of home-baked, artisan breads. Each loaf is made fresh to order. The delicious, handmade bread is available to be delivered right to your door. A wide variety of flavors is offered, from a classic Artisan White to a more unique Turmeric or Dill loaf. And sweet varieties like a Cinnamon Raisin Swirl or Cherry Walnut loaf. Have something in mind that is not on the menu? Special requests are always welcome! After a special request was made for a Wild Rice Cranberry loaf it became a staple on the menu. And we have even made a pink loaf for a baby shower. A delicious loaf of fresh-baked bread delivered right to a loved one’s home is a perfect gift to send. And large orders can be accommodated for events. Blair’s Bakery is proud to offer quality, handmade bread to the community because nothing brings people together like good food. 

What are your plans for the future?
I still am not sure what the future holds for Blair’s Bakery. Right now, I would consider this a “side hustle” that I absolutely love. For next year I am looking into different Farmer’s Market’s to get my name out in the community more and offer my bread in a more immediate way to my customers. Will I eventually be able to quit my 9-5 and go to work at an actual brick-and-mortar bakery of my own? Only time will tell. For now, I am enjoying the journey and grateful to each and every person who supports my little business. 

Contact Info:

• Email: Blairsbakerymn@gmail.com
• Instagram: @blairsbakerymn