Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Castillo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nancy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My really good friend Racene and I decided to pursue opening a bakery in 2010. I had just graduated from pastry school three years prior and worked at a bakery while Racene was making cakes and desserts at home for friends and acquaintances. We had no intention of opening a bakery right away as there was too much research/planning to do and we still relied heavily on our full-time jobs. Eventually, I joined in and began making vegan cakes for friends and family from my home. The amount of orders became chaotic to manage in our own kitchens, especially while still working on the side. That is when we decided it was time to open Reverie Bakeshop. It was not easy but we felt we had a head start as our business plans and numbers were already in place, the funds took us a while to save. With the help of Kickstarter, we completed construction and immediately opened our doors on September 23, 2013. The vegan community was definitely aware of our presence in the DFW metroplex, but non-vegan customers were completely taken by surprise I think. The vegan food scene has been growing so much in this area and it’s amazing to be a part of something so positive.
Great, 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?
Like any business, we have faced challenges such as equipment breaking down during the busiest seasons, the AC going out on the hottest day in summer, fresh ingredients on back order the week before Thanksgiving, and being understaffed during flu season. The list goes on but I think every year we know how to handle these obstacles based on the experiences from the previous years.
Going into our fourth year of business made us realize that we needed to start taking care of ourselves better. Veganism is all about compassion towards all living things and ourselves after all. Time management between our work and personal lives has been a big challenge as the bakery becomes busier. Our amazing team makes it possible for us to work 50-60-hour work weeks instead of 80 (at least during slower seasons). We support each other at work with things like our staff book club (which our team member came up with), the bakery closing for a day so we can all venture to the Texas Veggie Fair in the fall, having pumpkin carving contests, hosting dinners at each other’s homes, movie night and occasional yoga in the park during summer. Our business runs better when we enjoy those present moments and have fun. The business environment does not have to be all work no play.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Reverie Bakeshop – what should we know?
Reverie Bakeshop is an all vegan bakery and we offer other options such as gluten-free and raw vegan pastries and cakes. Our menu is quite extensive but in a good way. We make many classics like chocolate chip cookies and apple pie, but we also have those vegan surprises that our non-vegan crowd comes back for, like our “sausage and cheese” kolaches. We offer cannoli, tiramisu, empanadas, cupcakes, turnovers, muffins, cheesecakes, cake pops, scones, and much more! Everything is completely vegan. No eggs, no milk, no animal derived ingredients, all delicious! My business partner Racene and our highly talented cake decorator Alissa bring custom and wedding cakes to the table. They make extravagant wedding pieces as well as jaw dropping 3D gravity defying art.
I’m most proud of the fact that no animals were harmed in the making of our baked goods. And although I would never recommend a diet of eating vegan cupcakes every day, I’m happy to say that our product is much healthier than our non-vegan counterparts. An incredible amount of work goes into the making of our menu and keeping waste minimal. I’m happy to say that as our business becomes busier our waste level still stays low. Better for the environment and better for ourselves. I think that sets us apart.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Compassion. The world is already a chaotic place. From the simple road rage while we’re driving, to online addiction, to corruption, to wars, to natural disasters, and more.
Demonstrating compassion at home and in the workplace, can bring so much peace to everyone’s mind. It can be a getaway at times and I think our customers feel that too. Working alongside our staff and greeting our customers everyday gives you not just a glimpse of what their day is going like, but what impact you can make for them at that moment. It’s more than just helping others. It builds tolerance for unstable moments and strengthens us when we need humanity the most. I keep that characteristic at the forefront of our business plan.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1930 N. Coit Rd., #140,
Richardson, Texas 75080 - Website: www.reveriebakeshop.com
- Phone: (972) 238-7511
- Email: info@reveriebakeshop.com
- Instagram: @reveriebakeshop
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/reveriebakeshop
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