3 Little Hens Baking Co. taking shape in Youngstown

Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market proprietor expanding home business to Youngstown

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

3 Little Hens are getting closer to hatching in Youngstown.

Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market proprietor Rachel Jolbert’s new baking business is targeting a fall opening at 120 Lockport St.

“The signage is officially done on the building, which is really exciting,” she said. “That was done by a local artist (Cam Worczak of Worczak Signs), which was very important to me. The inside, most of the equipment is there.

“I won a grant through the Niagara County Microenterprise (program), which allowed me to get some pretty cool equipment for classes that we're going to be doing, that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to get.

Jolbert added, “I have all kinds of local art to hang on the walls. I commissioned mugs to be made by a local potter (ECW Pottery) for the café. All the tables were made by a local woodworker (Nickel City Woodworking).

“Everything I'm doing comes back to supporting other small businesses. I'm going to be carrying some local coffees and teas from other local small businesses. All of it is going to be centered around that.”

This past spring, Jolbert announced she was opening a brick-and-mortar location in Youngstown.

“The plan has always been to move my current, licensed in-home bakery to that space, and then also teach classes,” she said. “We also built out a small café that will be able to be reserved for small groups up to 10 people.

“We've kind of heard from Youngstown that they would like something to be open on Mondays, so the current possible plan is to do a few open hours on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. It would be self-serve coffee and tea, and then whatever pastries are available that day. There wouldn't be a menu or anything; it would just kind of be casual. You can come in with a laptop, sit down, use our Wi-Fi, and have a cup of coffee and a pastry.

“We're still figuring out those details. But Youngstown has spoken. I've done a few pop-ups, kind of in our vestibule when my husband's been working on the building, and people come by and buy everything every time.”

3 Little Hens Baking Co., at 120 Lockport St., Youngstown.

Rachel Jolbert outside of the new 3 Little Hens Baking Co., at 120 Lockport St., Youngstown. (Image courtesy of Jolbert)

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Jolbert said she’s excited to be back in the “classroom.”

“My entire circle is culinary professionals, or master canners, and just people of different skills. So, I have about seven different people who are going to be teaching classes for me, and they're going to range from everything from knife skills and meal prepping to all kinds of baking classes – from breads; we're going to actually be able to do some stuff with chocolates – I got some chocolate tempering machines with the grant money, which is really cool. That's not something that a lot of people have around here.

“I also am going to be doing classes for kids. I've had some Girl Scout troops and homeschool co-ops reach out, so I'm definitely looking into expanding some kids programs.”

She explained, “My goal is to teach at least one class a week myself, and to have at least one other class taught by someone else a week. But we'll also be offering private classes. If you want to do a team building for your office, you can pick from a list of classes and come in and do a private class.”

Jolbert said, “I've been teaching pastry in some capacity for 13 years. I worked for seven years at the Culinary Institute in Niagara Falls, and then I've taught my own classes at various after-school programs. I've had people who have no experience to a little bit of experience. I make the whole premise of it that you're supposed to have fun. I want people to have fun.

“Everybody's product is going to turn out differently, which I think is really interesting – and I learned at teaching pastry school – is that we all have the same ingredients, same equipment, we're all in the same room, and you're going to end up with 10 students with 10 slightly different things.

“I just really want people to have fun. I always send people home with recipes – and my email address, so that, if they have additional questions, I always want people to reach out to me. Education truly is the No. 1 passion that I have in this space. I have an email list of over 350 people who've taken classes from me just since I have been doing community classes.

“I'll have people who email me. I did a pies class last year and somebody emailed me, on Thanksgiving, pictures of his Thanksgiving pies that he made after taking my class. That is what I love so much!”

Rachel Jolbert at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market.