Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharaya Mickelson.
Hi Sharaya, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Madi McCormick and I (Sharaya (Shay) Mickelson) have been friends since around 2012. When we would hang out with our friends, we would bake a cake together. We would joke that we would open a bakery one day. Over the years we have formed a strong friendship.
Madi started attending college and working 2 jobs, when she got her first baking job at Swedish Crown Bakery (which was eventually renamed Krown Bakery & Eatery by the previous owners) She started as an assistant baker, fell in love with baking, and over the years worked her way up to the head baker.
I went to school in Superior, Wisconsin, and studied environmental science while working at a popular cake bakery in Duluth, as well as a baker at a local coffee shop. One day, I decided that eventually, I would love to own my own business, so I switched my major to Business to pursue my dream.
After graduation, I moved to St, Paul, and I started working at a bakery there. There was an empty position, so I invited Madi to apply! After some time, we realized that we worked very well as a team. We decided that we wanted to start a business together. We started developing recipes and working on a business plan.
After a couple of years of working together, we heard that the owners of Krown Bakery & Eatery wanted to retire and sell the bakery. We knew immediately that we wanted to take over as the new owners of Krown. We loved everything about Krown, and it is so beloved by the community, offering many Nordic desserts and bread, as well as many gluten-free and vegan options as well. We bought Krown on April 21, 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic. Although this was a very risky time for businesses, we made it through the support of our community.
In the two years that we have owned Krown Bakery & Eatery, we have introduced our own personal flair, by adding cakes and more, while continuing to honor the traditional, original recipes. There are many ups and downs in owning a business, but we are so truly happy that we have been able to pursue our dreams. We get to do what we love with the people that we love, and we are so grateful.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There are so many things to love about owning this business, but there are a lot of challenges. We took over right in the middle of the pandemic. The pandemic affected so many things, even to this day. Constant supply chain issues have caused some of the ingredients we use to be unavailable for weeks or months at a time.
Inflation has also had quite an effect on us in the past year. We were paying over $70 on a box of eggs that used to cost us $18, and that cost hasn’t gone down much in recent months. We have learned so much about how to pivot when facing unexpected challenges. Change is constant and being able to stay level-headed during stressful times is essential. Unexpected challenges can take so many forms from road construction to changes in consumer behavior and even personal hardship.
Within our first year, we each experienced the loss of a close family member. It can be hard to be fully present and in the right mindset at work when there is so much going on at home. Being partners, Madi and I are able to lean on each other when times are tough. We are so lucky to have a strong support system in each other, our families, and our community.
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?
Krown Bakery & Eatery is a scratch bakery specializing in Scandinavian and European baking. We have many options for people with dietary restrictions such as Celiac, certain food allergies, vegetarianism, veganism, and religious dietary preferences.
Krown’s traditional, from-scratch baking method, paired with all-natural ingredients creates a high-quality and unique product that is second to none. Krown Bakery & Eatery has a passion for quality ingredients, providing great products, and caring about the hands that crafted them. Krown strives to be honest and passionate in everything we do. Our favorite products are the Almond Twist, Lavender Dream Cookie, and Budapest Roll.
Contact Info:
- Website: krownbakeryandeatery.com
- Instagram: @krownbakeryandeatery
- Facebook: @Krown Bakery and Eatery
