Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rebecca Kerrigone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Rebecca, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

My husband Michael and I were talking through the dream we had for our small business. We wanted to create a warm, inviting third space. We wanted to not only provide great pastries and coffee, but we wanted to make a peaceful environment that encouraged people to slow down, take a deep, bread-scented breath and release their cares for the space of time that it takes to eat a cinnamon bun and drink a properly brewed cup. And once people had a moment to pause, we were hoping for the kind of setting where neighbor would see and speak to their neighbor, where strangers could share a memory brought on by a flavor and end up with a common bond. While we were casting about for a name that would encapsulate our vision we noticed our Dutch daughter-in-law often using a word we didn’t recognize. She would say things like, “I don’t want to go in that shop, it isn’t hazella, or “this meal was lovely. It was so hazella”. Finally we asked her what this word “hazella” meant. She gave us a blank look. Then she started laughing. The word we thought was hazella was really the dutch word, “gazellig”, which denotes cozy conviviality or happy togetherness in a beautiful space sharing good food or simply a beautiful environment filled with friends and family. We looked at each other and said, “That’s it! That’s the name of our bake shop!” But we were afraid people wouldn’t attempt to pronounce the proper dutch spelling of the word, so we decided to go with what we had first heard and Hazella Bake Shop came into being.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My husband Michael and I own Hazella Bake Shop in Lebanon, OR. We make individual from scratch pastries using Scandinavian and French recipes. Most of the Scandinavian recipes are from our Swedish grandmothers. We found that these recipes used roughly half the amount of sugar as a typical American recipe and that of course they used all natural ingredients because there were no additives or preservatives when our great-great grandmothers were developing them. We found they used local ingredients such as real butter, fruit, nuts and spices to make their treats special, which we thought would appeal to todays consumer as well. We have had many happy customers tell us the reason they come to our bakery again and again is because they don’t feel the “sugar crash” after eating our pastries. It’s gezellig

We provide an exceptional, hand-crafted baked goods, but our main objective to also provide quality customer service. My co-owner and husband worked for the Ritz Carlton hotel when he was first getting started in the food service industry. They are known for having exacting standards when it comes to serving customers. He wanted to bring that level of customer service to our endeavor. He amazes repeat guests by remembering their names and the way they like their coffee after only one visit. He trains our front of house team to ensure that each person is greeted upon entering, to make eye contact, to use their name if it is given and to send them out the door feeling seen and appreciated. This seems like a simple technique, but it also is what makes Hazella special and sets it apart from other bakeries. Its gezellig

We have found that what works well with guests also works well with employees. We have very little employee turnover because we work hard to make our team feel seen, respected, and appreciated. We greet each employee as they come into work, spend a few minutes during the day asking about how their shift is going and how their day in general is going and then we send them out the door with words of sincere affirmation and appreciation for the job they did that day. It takes a bit of extra time and effort, but our team comes to work with a smile and our guests can taste the love that goes into each item we serve. It’s gezellig

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Owning a small business requires much resilience. My husband, Michael and I never thought about opening a bakery. Our plan was to open a Bed and Breakfast in a resort town in Northern California. We sold our home and our previous assets and rolled it all together to purchase a beautiful Victorian in the mountains outside Sacramento. We quit our jobs and said our goodbyes and packed our cars. The day before we were to take possession we were made aware that the cash purchase price had not in fact gone to the title company, but had been stolen via wire fraud. All our life savings were on their way out of the country. Fortunately, the FBI was able to track and put a freeze on a portion of the money, but it took a year to get what was left back. We looked at what we had left and made a new plan. Due to our loss were priced out of California and priced out of buying a home suitable for a B&B, so we decided to stay in Oregon and open a coffee bar. We went to coffee school in Portland, OR where we learned more than I thought possible about coffee. We researched sites and our daughter worked hard on the branding. We found a building and were about to put an offer on it when our neighbor told us that the planning commission had just authorized a Starbucks to be built right next to the site. We scrapped that idea. We were casting about for a new idea when we learned of a bakery in Lebanon, OR that had been closed for a number of years that was going up for sale. We met the owners and looked it over. It was within our diminished price range, so we decided to become bakers. We signed the papers and took possession of our brand new business, This was the first of February, 2020. We began the build out with high hopes. Three weeks later the whole world was shut down. Like everyone else, we didn’t know what to do, so we continued the build out and completey revamped our business model. We had a soft opening in May of 2020 where people could order online and pick up a box at the door. Finally we were given the go-ahead to open our doors to masked customers. We planned a beautiful grand opening Labor Day Weekend to celebrate not only our business but the ability to be back in a cafe setting. The night before our opening winds came up and the massive wildfires that had been burning all summer threatened the town. All the small towns around us were being evacuated. We didn’t want to cancel as our event had been widely advertised, but how could we celebrate when so many around us were suffering? We went ahead with the opening, but the mood was somber rather than celebratory. The air was so thick with smoke and debris that we couldn’t take pictures of the ribbon cutting, but cut the ribbon we did and then we donated the proceeds of the day to the local fire department. Our new town encouraged, supported and sustained us through all this transition. In less than three years, Hazella Bake Shop, birthed in adversity, has become a local establishment

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe that our premise on exceptional customer service has really built our reputation. When I read google reviews, our customers often mention the pastries, but they are always secondary to the time and attention that was given to them at the counter, People are hungry for connection in this disjointed era. Taking the time to greet and learn a little about them goes a long way.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hazellabakeshop/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hazellabakeshop/