Today we’d like to introduce you to Francesca Bleys.
Hi Francesca, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Millstone Bakery started in September of 2014. My parents moved from Belgium in 1997 and always felt the one of their favorite parts of Belgium were missing; a local bakery. While family-owned bakeries are densely populated and essential businesses in Belgium, they are not as significant in America. The bakery started while I was a junior in Plano Senior High School. I came to work the lunch rush almost every day during my lunch break and then go back to school with a sandwich in my hand! Little by little, I learned how to bake, cake decorate, and all the ins and outs of the bakery. During college, as a full-time nursing student, I would still help out at the bakery to ensure its success. When I finally graduated December 2020, I immediately took over the business from my mother (who quit) and pursued the dream with my dad, Erik. My Dad and I have worked so many hours together – best friends to say the least. I had a vision for the bakery during my schooling but was never able to pursue the dreams as a college degree was my priority. But since graduation, motivation was at an all-time high, and I vow to make it known to everyone in Dallas!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Hahaha, life always has a funny way of throwing some obstacles in the way of a perfect plan. For me, I would say that I’ve had it relatively easy with taking over the bakery, but since then, it’s been quite the journey! Because I’ve been working at the bakery since it opened, I’ve had the time to learn lots of difficult things with ample time. The first challenge was learning how to cake decorate; about 4 years ago our cake decorator at the time quit abruptly. My dad had been encouraging me to start it for some weeks before it happened because he knows I’m artistic and have a steady hand. At the point she quit, I knew how to write a little and draw a straight line! I decorated my first cake that weekend and realized my natural knack for cake decorating. Since then, I’ve worked on progressively more difficult cakes and have improved from my straight line! The recent challenge has been the employee shortage being witnessed by the entire nation. Especially since we are a small business, I don’t have many – if any – employees on call. Some weeks call for very long hours, but I consider myself lucky to have some very dedicated employees that have helped me out tremendously.
We would like to open another bakery but are unsure currently. The top question is: if I have staffing problems at one bakery, will the problems double with a second location? We will find out soon, but for the time being, I am just trying to improve the bakery we have!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Millstone Bakery?
We are a European-style bakery with Belgian influences! Everything we make is made with some of the best real and natural ingredients: butter (not shortening or margarine), Belgian chocolate, fresh fruit, and vegetables, etc! We leave out any preservatives, chemicals, high fructose corn syrup… unhealthy and gross! Our use of real ingredients is the most defining feature compared with other bakeries. Not only does it enhance the flavor, it also makes it healthier to eat. Belgian tradition is generally a sandwich for breakfast and lunch, and a hot meal for dinner. This adds up to a lot of bread! Yet, Europeans are known to have lower BMIs than Americans despite all their bread and pastry consumption. This is because they leave out chemicals/preservatives. The human body doesn’t know how to digest these unnatural ingredients so it is more likely to be turned into fat than normally digested. Bread is yummy and shouldn’t be stigmatized!!!… sandwiches, fresh toast, bread pudding… delicious 😉
We are most proud of our hand-rolled croissants that are baked fresh every day! Everything is made by scratch in-store and baked fresh, but the croissants are the best Dallas Fort Worth can find!
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
People can easily work with me by email, texting, or calling! Although we have our menu, I am always open to making new products with enough time beforehand! I love creating new things and making people happy to get something that they haven’t been able to find anywhere else.
We love all our customers! The most helpful way that customers can support us is by leaving Yelp/Google reviews! Small businesses can make it or break it just by reviews. The power that five potential stars hold is astonishing. Generally, new customers always go to the top-rated businesses when trying something new- we always want the best!!!
Pricing:
- Croissants $2.30-3.35
- Bread: $3.50-6.95
- Cake slices: $4.45
Contact Info:
- Email: Cakedecorator@millstonebakery.com
- Website: Millstonebakery.com
- Instagram: @millstonebakery
- Facebook: Millstone Bakery
