Rising Dough: The Path to Success

Growing up, freshly baked bread wasn’t just a comforting smell—it was my childhood memory. It continually wafted through our home, lingered in the car, and entered every corner of our lives. For me, bread wasn’t just food but tradition, family, and connection. And at the center of it all was my mom, Jonnie LoFranco, the driving force behind Bread Artisan Bakery.

My mom’s journey with bread began long before she took over the bakery. It started in the 1990s when my grandfather and Jonnies father, Bob Peckham, discovered his passion for sourdough. With precious care, he crafted recipes that weren’t just about baking; they were about sharing something genuine and heartfelt with the community. When he passed away in 2001, the bakery was at a breaking point, but my mom knew the story couldn’t end there.

“I couldn’t let it go,” she told me once. “Bread was my dad’s way of connecting with people, and I wanted to keep that alive.”

As a child, she had spent countless Saturdays in the kitchen with Papa Bob, surrounded by the warm buzzing of the oven and the pounding sound of dough being kneaded. Those mornings were lessons in baking, care, precision, and patience.

Running Bread Artisan Bakery hasn’t always been easy, but it’s always been meaningful for my mom. Each day, she pours her energy into crafting bread that’s not only delicious but also rooted in the values that Papa Bob held dear: quality, care, and community. Under her leadership, the bakery has grown beyond anything he could have imagined, yet it remains true to its origins.

Whenever I visit the bakery, I see those values come to life. At the local farmer’s markets every weekend, customers linger over the display, wait in 20-minute lines, and their faces light up as they spot their favorite loaf. 

My mom once said, “Bread isn’t just about feeding people; it’s about bringing them together.” And that’s precisely what Bread Artisan Bakery does. It’s more than a business; it’s a legacy that rises with every batch of dough and every loaf that leaves the oven.

Here’s to Grandpa Bob, who started it all, and to my mom, who continues to carry his passion forward. Their story lives on through every loaf we bake.