Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Kolacny.
Hi Vanessa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started learning how to bake kolaches from my Grandmother’s cookbook 8 years ago at Christmas-time and started selling to teachers that I worked with. I had always grown up around Czech foods with my Grandma and Grandpa but I never baked kolaches with them, so I thought it was time. My last name is Kolacny so I am part Czech and love all the traditions….polka music, kolaches, and strudel. I have been a teacher since I was 25 and now I am 48 with 3 teenagers and I wanted to do something new. I started baking for the holidays 8 years ago and then went to Farmer’s Markets last year and would sell out. I decided to go for it full time when I found the commercial kitchen in San Marcos, Texas with a walk up window. I opened in June 2026 and am open from Wednesday – Sunday from 7:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think the struggle for me is finding balance right now as I rise and shine at 3:30 a.m., drive to San Marcos (it’s only 25 minutes away) and bake fresh early, then come back to Wimberley and am a Mom to a 13 and 15 year old son that play football, and my daughter started college at ATM in College Station. I’m thankful that I was able to secure the kitchen and get permits easily and have my former students and teacher friends plus my Wimberley customers that support me. I also have been able to join the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce and have gotten social presence from that as well as many new kind San Marcos customers and repeat San Marcos customers.
(I’ve been a teacher for 15 years teaching at the elementary, middle, and high school level, and stayed home with my kids for 10 years, so learning a new business is a learning curve for me but I enjoy the challenge!)
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Kolacny’s Kolaches?
My business is named for my family – my last name is Kolacny (pronounced K0-loch-knee) and it is Czech. My Grandmother, Frances Bujnoch Kolacny was from Halletsville, Texas and my Grandpa Laddie Kolacny was from Shiner, Texas. I’ve always loved baking and I taught myself how to bake Kolaches and Klobasneks 8 years ago from my Grandmother’s cookbook.
I am proud that it is part of my Czech heritage and baking reminds me of my family. I also baked with my Nanny on my Mom’s side of the family but more cookies, pies, and cobblers. I make authentic Czech kolaches such as classic cream cheese, poppyseed, prune, and several fruit flavors with and without cream cheese. I also make klobasneks which are the savory type with beef sausage and cheese, beef sausage with cheese and jalapeno, polish sausage with sauerkraut, ham and cheese, sausage, egg, and cheese scramble, and pepperoni and cheese.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is enjoying what I do each and every day, bringing joy to others through my baking, and being able to provide for my family. I am a single Mom and want to be present for my kids while following my dream to be a successful Czech baker that hopefully can one day own my own special Czech Bakery. I’ve always enjoyed baking for others and having people come together, which seems to be a hard thing to do these days.
Pricing:
- 3.50 for a Fruit and Cream Cheese Kolache
- 3.00 for a Fruit Kolache
- 4.00 for a Beef with Cheese Klobasnek
- 4.25 for a Ham and Cheese Klobasnek
- 4.25 for a Beef, Jalapeno, and Cheese Klobasnek
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kolacnyskolaches.com
- Instagram: @kolacnyskolaches
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/Kolacnyskolaches
