Bake shop owner credits Watkinsville community for a successful decade in business

The food service industry is well-known for its challenges, but when the coronavirus pandemic and inflation are factored in, it seems almost miraculous that any restaurant is able to remain open in today's climate. The Athens area saw the closure of eight dining establishments in 2023, and there have already been eight more so far this year, so the fact that an independently-owned bakery is celebrating its 10-year anniversary is a rarity.

The party is happening in nearby Watkinsville at KiKi's Bakeshop, located at 20 Greensboro Hwy. about ten miles outside of Athens. Though the area has seen a recent boom in locally-owned restaurants thanks to Watkinsville's ever-growing Wire Park development, KiKi's has operated out of the same modest building since 2014, when owner-operator Kirsten Bradford bought The Grainery after the business went up for sale.

"This community inspires me," Bradford told the Banner-Herald. "I've watched kids grow up here, and some of them have even come to work at my shop. It's been a crazy ten years, but if you love your community, it'll love you right back."

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From big city bustle to small town simplicity

Bradford fell in love with baking when she moved to London, England after college. She worked at an executive dining room with a group of other women who cooked from-scratch recipes for "a hundred lawyers" each day, and landed her first baking job at Atlanta's legendary Coach and Six restaurant when she returned to the United States. Under the mentorship of baker Mary Jackson, who used pinches and dashes instead of measuring cups, Bradford took inspiration from her own German heritage and combined it with Jackson's Southern traditions.

Bradford's experiences in the Atlanta food industry lead to a job working at Athens' prestigious Five and Ten restaurant, The National and Athens Country Club before The Grainery became available for sale, and the hometown feel of the Watkinsville location told her that it would be the right fit. Rather than taking over The Grainery's business, Bradford used the existing kitchen and baking equipment to do away with their pre-packaged inventory and start making breads, pies, cookies and pastries from scratch.

"It took some folks a little while to adjust to what they'd been used to, but most were really happy because I was able to greatly expand the menu and increase the hours of business," said Bradford. "The response was good right away."

Staying afloat and staying positive

Years ago, Bradford spoke to the Banner-Herald about the innovative techniques she used to keep KiKi's in business during the coronavirus pandemic, and she doesn't shy away regarding her sadness about the effect that inflation has had on her industry. Bradford said that she's seen a $19 case of eggs rise to as much as $48.50, and a case of butter going from $100 to $150. Though she says that prices have started to come down, she has refused to raise the prices of her baked goods any more than she did when issues with the food supply chain first began.

Over the past ten years, Bradford has developed personal relationships with her clientele, and has daily conversations with them about the effect that inflation has had on their lives. Bradford and her husband have started brewing their own coffee, and KiKi's has been giving away free small cups of the house-made java in addition to their usual discounts for military veterans and college students. In keeping with German tradition, Bradford adds a pinch of salt to the coffee grounds in addition to some lemon peel.

"It's my way of doing what I can to help out," said Bradford. "I have customers who are on fixed incomes, and I want everyone to know that there's at least one place where they can go to get a free cup of fresh coffee. I love my customers like I love my family, and they're the reason I can still have fun and do what I love."

KiKi's is open Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For menus and online ordering, visit kikisbakeshop.com.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: KiKi's Bakeshop celebrates 10 years in Watkinsville