By JOHN E. WEARE
KAB
The Butte Bakery has stayed true to its name since opening four years ago over Heritage Days in a smallish room at Tawny Katen’s insurance agency in the 300 block of Box Butte Avenue. Demand for its tasty treats meant expansion to a storefront up the street. Then, this summer, owner Whitney Baldwin moved south to the former home of The Printer with space for the bakery and a commercial kitchen.
Keep Alliance Beautiful has worked with Whitney for about three years to provide a container for recycling at her former commercial (aka ghost) kitchen as well as Community Table where she serves as coordinator and KAB delivers food donations. Both her business and Community Table bring together a diverse group of entrepreneurs and volunteers who routinely recycle at both locations. Whether a score or cream cheese boxes for a dessert at the Bakery or heavy foil trays on Mondays at Community Table from Box Butte General Hospital, I appreciate how much of the material is kept from the trash. Regarding the Bakery, Whitney has worked to reduce the amount of packaging involved. Containers and pick up by KAB is a free service available to Box Butte County businesses and other entities.
Though people have sold everything from candy to kombucha with Whitney’s help since 2022, she explained that the Bakery is not a real cooperative. That distinction means people would own shares in the business. Rather, “There are local vendors that go through licensing with the State (of Nebraska) and bring stuff in,” Whitney explained. “What started with baked goods now includes meats, pastas (etc.).”
Growing this type of business built on Whitney’s passion for food and expertise, including operating her own restaurant. Looking back closer to the start of the decade she was delivering 200 meals to people a week – with a focus on meal prep. One day at Custer’s Pie Palace with her daughter and friend Brenda Sanders, “I thought we could sell cheesecakes in Alliance,” Whitney said, recalling inspiration from the aptly named South Dakota dessert spot. A woman on Facebook said she would take part. Although this individual never followed through, four others did. Now the Butte Bakery has 21 “bakers and makers” that rotate through, she said.
Sometimes I have seen a baker dropping off goodies while shopping or talked to new contributors and sampled a preview of their wares. Before its first anniversary, the business became more welcoming with places to sit and more room at the second location where Bob and Delinda had their insurance office. Almost every time we opened the door a friend of my Aunt Maggie’s, who has since passed away, would be sitting there with a smile ready for conversation. Growth and the opportunity for an on-site kitchen made the current spot a great fit – still downtown and still on the west side of Box Butte.
“I definitely think we filled a niche,” Whitney said, “because what we sell are things you can’t get other places. Before, a lot of these bakers were delivering – there’s only so much time in a day. (The bakery) is more accessible. Also, (we’re) filling a niche for people who want to start their own business and expand.”
A few months ago Claudia, who had been a regular volunteer at KAB, came by the recycling center and shared a meltable morsel – delicious homemade candy. Friends and family
encouraged her to embrace the hobby. Now anyone with a sweet tooth can find her creations at the Bakery and other outlets. Whitney emphasized that she is always looking for more people and the new ideas they can bring.