Buy Local, Santa Monica: Broadway Baker’s love for the local community is the star of the show
May 14, 2021 9:00 AM
by Erin Taylor
Describe what your business does. What types of products/services do you offer?
At Broadway Baker, we love to bake! Based on family recipes, we create and bake (in small batches) using fresh, premium, local, and organic ingredients. Our open kitchen and retail storefront is open M-F 9a-5p and Saturday 9a-3p. Our online store, broadwaybaker.com, is open 24/7. We ship our beautiful and delicious gift boxes nationwide on Mondays and Tuesdays (further into the week if it’s local). We also have a PreOrder PrePay PickUp site: broadwaybaker-pickup.square.site – we offer pick-up and curbside service. We bake cookies, brownies, bars, cakes, cupcakes, granola, scones, mini loaves, and much more. Some of our customers’ favorites are: Grandma’s Mix-Up Bars, Lemon Raspberry Shortbread, Major Brownies, Thin + Crispy Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Wheat Free Chocolate Pecan Macaroons, Salted Caramel Brownies (featured in O, The Oprah Magazine), and our decadent cakes and cupcakes. We offer vegan and wheat-free goods and 6” and 8” cakes (which require a 48-hour preorder).
How did your business get started?
We started as an online business in NYC and relocated to Los Angeles in 2015 where we continued our online presence and began our retail partnerships with Santa Monica Seafood (Santa Monica and Costa Mesa locations), Monsieur Marcel Gourmet Market at the Grove, Fancifull Gift Baskets, Espresso Cielo (Main Street and 2nd Street locations), Grow (South Bay and DTLA locations), Jackson Market, and biibiip.
And how has it evolved or grown over the year(s)?
In the spring of 2019, we secured a storefront location in Santa Monica. Our ultimate dream of opening our own shop was becoming reality! On February 1, 2020 (eleven months after signing our lease), we opened our kitchen and retail shop at 1209 Wilshire Blvd (between 12th Street and Euclid Street). Tom designed our space and continues to add amazing installations (our heroes “wall”) and change-up our décor and ambiance. Tom has also diligently enforced the everchanging COVID safety and health protocols to ensure our staff and customers are safe!
What is unique about the products/services you offer?
We bake everything to order in small batches. Our creations are based on family recipes (I grew up baking with my mom, dad, and Grandma O). We source as many local and organic ingredients as we possibly can: local honey for Mom’s Granola and graham crackers; local jam for our Cinnamon Pear Shortbread; Farmers Market berries, fruit, and veggies for our scones, Vegan Carrot Pecan Muffins, Apple Hand Galettes, Banana Blueberry Mini Loaves, Lemon Raspberry Mini Pound Cakes, and so much more!
Any fun facts to share?
Prior to opening our storefront, we participated in many local artisan markets (Unique Markets, Jackalope, and Modern Artisan Marketplace, to name a few) and we met amazing local makers. We now feature these makers and their wonderful goods in our front retail area. We’ve got pottery and ceramics, jam, honey, candles, t-shirts, and greeting cards. Also, Broadway Baker gets its name from my years of performing on Broadway. (I would bake treats for cast and crew for opening nights and special occasions).
Why did you decide to open your business in Santa Monica?
We live in Santa Monica and the shop is 10 blocks from our home!
It has been a challenging year. What has helped you get through this difficult time?
Our customers!! The support we have received (and keep receiving) from the neighborhood, community, and online has been absolutely wonderful, overwhelming, inspiring, and just awesome! The familiar faces (well…eyes!), the waves through the windows, the beautiful emails, the orders, and the growing relationships and friendships with our customers have truly been inspiring, uplifting, and life changing!! We are immensely thankful and forever grateful!!
How can people support you and other local businesses?
#shoplocal, #shopsmall, #eatlocal.
What do you hope for the future of our Santa Monica community?
That it continues to grow, thrive, and prosper. Together we can (and have) overcome so much that has been thrown our way this last year. Resilience, heart, love, and determination are key!
What do you want the community of Santa Monica to know about you and your business?
We love being a part of the community and supporting the community as much as we can. Over the course of our first year at 1209 Wilshire Blvd, we’ve supported Santa Monica Education Foundation, SMASH, The Actors Fund, Roosevelt School, Boy Scouts Troop #2, Archer School for Girls, and Southern Smoke.
What is your favorite Santa Monica business?
Too many to choose just one! We love Santa Monica Seafood, El Cholo, Caffe Luxxe, Rock’n Pies, Espresso Cielo, Shin Hair, Santa Monica Farmers Markets, Santa Monica Picnic Co, and The Gourmandise School.
Broadway Baker
1209 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90403
Open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm; Saturday, 9am – 3pm; closed Sunday
(646) 410-3857
www.broadwaybaker.com
PreOrder PrePay PickUp site: broadwaybaker-pickup.square.site (for pick-up and curbside service)
Authored By
Erin Taylor
Senior Marketing Manager