Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Huntsman.
Hi Samantha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been baking since I was a kid, with my grandma Shirley Mae during holiday and summer breaks. I would also bake at home with my dad, John. I went to culinary school straight out of high school and since then I have worked at a variety of establishments; hotels, restaurants, resorts, lodges, independent and chain bakeries and those have been in major cities, on an island and in the mountains all over Western/Central Washington. When we were looking into moving to Texas, I was looking for a job in the pastry/bakery field so I could be working while figuring out everything there is to figure out about moving cross country and having a less than 1 year old son (at the time) and to a new state. I discovered there weren’t any in the area we were looking at and the ones that we could find were nothing like what we wanted to start. I have always wanted to have my own place; it just hadn’t been in the cards until moving to Cameron. We have been open just over 2 years (Nov. ’23) and the support has been amazing from the local community and farther out. My dad, John and mom, Terri are with me every day and my husband, Jeremy joins the fun on Saturdays. We truly are a family business inside and out.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall, yes there were some challenges/obstacles, but the support for our bakery has been truly amazing and humbling at the same time. I will say the first 6 months were pretty rough for me, personally, business took off way faster than we expected, and I was a bit overwhelmed, we were very much having to think on our feet quickly about how to manage our newfound success. We had some construction/electrical delays during the opening process that pushed back opening a little bit, but overall, in the quick 2 months it took us to open I will say things felt like they fell into place for the most part. There were still very long days and of course a lot of work but having the community support is honestly very hard to put into words how much it means to us.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Here at Shirley Mae’s Bakery, I’d say we are most known for making everything from scratch and on site at the bakery, as much as we possibly can. When we first opened, we could not keep our Cinnamon Rolls stocked! This is a Shirley Mae’s original recipe; my grandma would make these for Christmas and Easter. I make them MUCH larger than she did lol.
I believe what sets us apart from others are 2 things, first being made from scratch, we don’t order things in and make them pretty, we MAKE them and then make them pretty. We of course have mixers, a proofer, stove and ovens but that’s the extent of our machine equipment. Our cinnamon rolls, are mixed, rolled and shaped by hand. The second item would be us; we love our customers both new and returning. We like being a small part of people’s lives, knowing what’s going on with their jobs, kids, neighbors, animals etc. It is amazing knowing we are helping bring back “old school” customer service, we know your name or your order or what’s been happening in your life.
I am most proud of my family for believing in me enough to help me jump into the crazy world of owning a bakery and being a small business owner. They are involved in EVERY aspect that goes on. From new items, to decorating for the holidays, to how things should be organized and so much more. They are the reason we are still here, without their support, I could not have done any of this.
I am also proud that we currently have 7 small businesses that have a spot in our bakery. They all have sold at pop ups, through word of mouth or different types of markets. But we are able to give them a brick-and-mortar retail space without the crazy overhead if they were to do it on their own. I love that I am able to help and represent other small, family businesses in mine. They are all from the Cameron area, we have crocheted items (Burges Family Farm), wood toys/home decor (KD Creations), local raw honey (Phoenix Phamily Pharm), gluten free mixes (Tastes Like Love Comfort Kitchen), DIY crafting kits (Drawing under the moon), skin care (Wild Gypsy Posh) and fresh pecans (Izzo Pecan Farm); they have all been a great addition to Shirley Mae’s Bakery.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
HARD WORK is definitely a characteristic that has made Shirley Mae’s Bakery a success, both from myself and my family. Whether it be mentally or physically, however it is usually both. My day is anywhere from 11-18 hours depending on business levels, holidays or if there are special events that we are involved with. This of course doesn’t include the time that you are not onsite, I believe any small business owner knows this, that just because you aren’t onsite of your business doesn’t mean you aren’t working. We are open 4 days a week, but we are onsite 5-6 days prepping for the upcoming week.
PASSION is the next quality, I truly, truly love what I do, and I have from a very young age. I was accepted into culinary school late my sophomore year of high school and had to wait for what seemed like an eternity to start that chapter. I love how you can make people feel or remember things through food, but especially through desserts/baking. We have made recipes for guests who haven’t had something since someone has passed away (sometimes decades), I really understand that. I have not had blackberry pie since my grandma passed away, I would have it every Thanksgiving. Having people remember what you made for them as time passes is the greatest compliment I could receive, to be a part of their lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shirleymaesbakery.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Shirley-Maes-Bakery-61551630009412/
Image Credits
They’re all my photos:
