It may be tucked away in its quiet 43 Owen St. location, but to find Homestead Artisan Bakery and Café you’ll only need to follow your nose.
The popular little bakery has been open for two years in May and has become a go-to spot for those looking for freshly made bread, delicious treats and even a great sit-in lunch. Emily Patrick is the manager of the business that is run by her sister Cait and business partner Lise and says that she is amazed at how successful they’ve become since their start at the Barrie Farmers Market.
“Cait and Lise started baking bread for the Market about four years ago, just as something to do on the side,” said Patrick. “They were taking special courses on specifically sourdough bread making and after a while we realized there was a large demand for really good bread here in Barrie and it just steamrolled from there to opening the shop.”
Homestead is right near the Owen and Collier Street intersection which sees them get a lot of downtown foot traffic, something they were looking for when seeking a location. However, Patrick says that after they purchased the ideal spot they found out an interesting piece of information that made them realize they made the right choice for a new place of business.
“We definitely wanted to be downtown not just for the steady foot traffic, but also we are very big on supporting local businesses,” said Patrick. “Our flours, honey, syrups and just about everything we use that we can source locally, we do. The funny thing though is after the lease was signed and everyone was told where we purchased, my sister’s father-in-law said that he actually grew up in this house. He lived here years and years ago and was here for a good part of his childhood; it was a moment where we realized that this was just meant to be.”
Working with her sister and best friend is just a perk of being a part of Barrie’s fastest growing secret and Patrick says she jumped at the chance when it became available.
“I was in publishing but was helping at the market on Saturdays which I found really fun,” said Patrick. “When it came up that they were getting a shop and that I could get involved I decided to quit my job and help run the business. Its very much a family business and we’ve got about ten employees now and are very tight-knit with each other.”
The bakery is definitely more than just that as a delicious selection for breakfast and lunch with some mid day treats await anyone who walks through the country slammer doors. Fresh muffins, cookies, cakes and brownies are on-hand for those looking for a quick coffee and snack, but the breakfast and lunch selection is a big favourite as well.
“We have a lot of regulars that come in for a healthy meal to either stay here and eat or to grab and go to work with,” said Patrick. “Lots of sandwiches, salads and hearty soups are available and everyone loves the Country Blonde sourdough bread and the six-grain that we bake. We have about 20 to 25 different flavours of bread that we make and everyday we do a new interesting flavour on top of the selection we have daily so we’re proud to say that our sandwiches are very well received.”
Homestead will always be a bakery of fresh artisan breads first and foremost but Patrick loves how the shop is so much more to the community. Items of not just food but some locally made art and mugs line the shelves and the new espresso selection make for reading a book or relaxing somewhere new a delight.
“We’ve got people from out of town coming here as they make their way north on the weekends,” said Patrick. “It's really neat to see how in two years we’ve connected with so many people from all over the city and how they continue to come out and we see so many faces from the Farmer’s Market as regulars during the week too; we are actually still at the Market on Saturdays and just love the connection to local that it brings.”
For more information on Homestead, check out their website.
