Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Anspach.
Hi Allison, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started baking after graduating from Tulane University. I wasn’t ready to leave New Orleans and found a bakery that would hire me with no experience. I fell in love with baking in a commercial setting and making things for people. I specialized in working in bread bakeries and had very little experience with anything else. After a few years, I went to culinary school for six months in San Diego to figure out if I wanted to change paths but soon realized that bread baking was for me. I got the most experience working in Carlsbad, CA at Prager Brothers Artisan Breads where I worked for almost five years. I learned so much there but couldn’t ignore the feeling of going out on my own. I left Prager Brothers and started selling my baked goods at farmers markets across San Diego and did that for a year and a half before moving with my husband to Charleston.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The struggles definitely include not knowing if people will be receptive to a newcomer to Charleston, wondering how much to make each day, worrying about the exorbitant costs of opening a new business and obviously a fair amount of imposter syndrome but I’ve never worried about my ability to put my head down and work hard.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Grit Bakery specializes in sourdough breads and laminated pastries. We try to utilize local produce and grains whenever possible. I’m most proud of our breads and plain croissants. I like to think that we do simple things very well – there isn’t a lot of fanfare but we are dependable and are a great place to add to your weekly shopping list.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gritbakery.com
- Instagram: @gritbakery
