A new bakery is rising up and getting rolling in Kamloops
A new bakery is opening on Kamloops’ North Shore in September.
Owners Nicholas Driver and Christy Carnegie are getting ready to fire up their ovens while waiting on a couple of business permits to be signed.
“We can’t wait to get our hands in the dough and get going,” Driver said.
The cornerstone of the bakery is Carnegie’s homemade bread that organically took centre stage for customers when the couple was growing and selling produce in farmers markets in the Kootenays.
The bread became so popular the couple decided to move to Kamloops in 2019 to open a store front bakery called Harvest Moon Bakery.
“We make a lot of sourdoughs and old world country breads, they are very artisan," Driver said. "We make ten different kinds of loaves and each one is different. Some are more dense because they are supposed to be. Other breads are light and fluffy, and some have crispy crusts."
Upon arriving in Kamloops, the couple secured a spot in the Yew Street Food Hall that was in the process of development. COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns slowed the building process considerably.
The long delay in opening the bakery did not put a damper on Driver’s enthusiasm for the business.
“In some ways we were blessed,” he said. “Opening up in the middle of the first lockdown would not have been a good business decision. Now restrictions are loosening and people want to explore and try new things. We want to be a part of that.”
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Driver said he has already connected with other vendors who will be sharing the big space at the hall and is excited about collaborating with other locally focussed businesses. He has already connected with local farmers and honey vendors and is sourcing a jam and jelly vendor to collaborate with.
“We want to source local and support local,” he said. “We used to be certified organic but decided it is too restrictive. It doesn’t allow us to purchase from local producers who are not certified organic.
We want to work together with other vendors and be part of a great team.”
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Once the bakery business gets rolling, Driver and Carnegie plan to bring their bread to the many events and activities that happen in the city year round.
He said many people in the community have asked for a specific opening date but there isn’t one written in stone yet.
“We predict we are a couple of weeks away from opening,” Driver said. “We hope to share our love of food and bread with the community and we hope in turn they will share with us."
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