Check Out Brooke Butler’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooke Butler.

Hi Brooke, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
From baking out of a small, local coffee shop to wholesale baking out of a giant catering kitchen to now an in-house bakery, Just BE’s Pastries has gone through many shapes and sizes. I started out baking at a local coffee shop bakery after graduating from a culinary/baking & pastry arts school back in 2017. Baking for people and pairing baked goods with different drinks, coffee shop vibes and the like was the beginning of Just BE’s. The coffee shop I worked for saw my love for baking and how much I love the creativity and science behind it so they encouraged me to start Just BE’s right out of their little kitchen as a wholesale bakery.

The business grew more and soon I was in need of a bigger location. I was able to rent out space from a local catering company where I began to work alongside him and his customers, teach baking classes and add on custom wedding dessert and cake orders.

Then COVID hit. HARD. With shops closing down and weddings canceled, I had to take a step back and start from scratch. I had to reevaluate what Just BE’s was to me and where I wanted to take her in the future.

So now, Just BE’s is currently residing out of my very own home kitchen and only doing custom baking orders! We are especially busy this summer with wedding cakes and dessert catering!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Like I mentioned earlier, COVID definitely impacted business a lot more than expected. I had to close my business for a couple of months to figure out where I could bake from and what type of baking I wanted to continue to do. Definitely, not a smooth road but ultimately the stop of business for those few months did help me evaluate what I wanted to do with Just BE’s Pastries now and in the future!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I would say because of COVID, I realized how much I loved making and designing wedding cakes and individual fancy desserts more than I liked wholesale baking/breakfast types of pastries. The sweet desserts are something that are small, yet require a lot of time in decoration. You’d be amazed on how much flavor can go in a mini dessert!

I think what sets me apart is that I love to personally meet with clients to talk about their orders and customize their orders to fit exactly what they want. Especially my wedding clients – I offer free cake tastings and dessert tastings! If I don’t have it on my menu, I will make the flavor they want because I want to broaden my own skills and learn new things! In 2020, I did a wedding package giveaway with other local vendors in Colorado Springs. The couple met up with me and they wanted cannolis for their wedding! I had only ever made them once but I made them a sample for their tasting and they LOVED them! Now cannolis are officially in my portfolio of things that Just BE’s offers!

What’s next?
Lately, I do have some big changes that I would like to do for Just BE’s Pastries! This summer, we are focusing on our wedding clients and menu to make it easier, affordable and as customizable as possible for our clients. In the midst of that, we are working towards building up a portable baking chart/trailer so we can personally bring our stuff to weddings and serve there! Not sure if this dream will become a reality or how long it will take – but we’ll see what the future holds!

Contact Info:

• Website: justbespastries.com
• Instagram: @justbespastries
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Justbespastries