Countdown to Opening: Orcas Bakery in Delicious Dress Rehearsals
The huge French oven has been assembled and is still being fine-tuned. Painting continues. But incredible seawater bagels are already in production. Since these bagels are already perfect, many are going to co-op members who subscribed to pre-orders — part of a successful crowdfunding in the 1st quarter. And two hot bagels were doled out to two lucky reporters last week.
The projected opening date: Friday, May 24, the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE, MARCH 22, 2024: RECORD-BREAKING CNL2 VIDEO: Prospects for Orcas Bakery Rise on Resilient Wild Yeast and Stability of Co-op Business Model
Thirty-six hours after it went live, this video broke CNL2’s previous record for the highest number of views.
In the supermarket, they gave out samples of tangy sourdough loaves leavened with local wild yeast and bagels made with seawater. Skeptics raised eyebrows but tasted the samples — yielding reactions that morphed from surprise to passion. But the good news coming from the future leaders of Orcas Bakery didn’t stop at the tastebuds.
Darryl, Pi, Shawna, and Murph had news that was equally pleasing to potential donors and stakeholders in the bakery these four visionaries intended to build: Orcas Bakery would be a co-op, owned by many Orcas citizens. Indeed, owned by the community.
Between the exciting taste of the samples, the inherent benefits of a co-op, and a compelling pre-purchase program that includes a 20 percent discount-for-life, money has poured into the coffers of Orcas Bakery. To date, $354,275 has been raised in four months — much of it in subscriptions to “bread futures,” and the rest in the form of loans with favorable terms from well-heeled lovers of baked goods.
This was an informative interview that paints a picture of what is about to come and one of the best explanations of the benefits of a co-op we’ve ever heard.
CNL2 is offering access to this page free to all visitors through Monday. On Tuesday, this page and the video will be available to subscribers only.
The duration of this interview is 59 minutes.
