Paragon Bakery will carry a full line of breads, rolls, pies, cakes, cookies, bars, breakfast items (like cinnamon rolls), tarts, and other desserts as well as coffee and sandwiches

Since I was about 10 years old, I’ve been fascinated by baking. My mom was not a baker, so all my experience came through trial and error.
I have always loved the challenge of making something I’ve never made before, and then perfecting it. I love reading and doing research on not just the art of baking, but also the science of baking, and I strive to get the best possible recipe for my products.

My first job after high school was at Turtlebread Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I wanted to learn everything I could, and I quickly learned to prep the morning pastries, form the breads, bake all the products, and eventually I became the head mixer there.

Life took me to beautiful Alaska where, in 1999 I married Ben, and we soon had 3 wonderful children in tow. There I taught a high school baking class for 3 years, and also learned business skills while helping run a greenhouse business.

In 2007 we moved our young family back to Minnesota where I again was drawn to baking jobs, first at Great Harvest Bread Company in Minnetonka, and later in the bakery at Costco Wholesale in Eden Prairie. One of the highlights for me was learning to decorate cakes. Thanks to my Costco bakery boss – who is an excellent decorator- through her willingness to teach me, helped me become one of her best decorators.

Over the years Ben and I have talked about and dreamed of opening our own bakery where I can provide for the community a place where people can find really delicious baked goods made with quality ingredients, where I can showcase all the things I can bake from scratch, and of course continue my quest to try baking new things and perfecting the good ones.

Tanis and Ben
Paragon Bakery LLC
Chanhassen, MN

One meaning of the word paragon is “a model of excellence.”

Tanis is known for the quality and excellence of her baking, both in presentation and taste. Since she was about 10 years old she has been teaching herself to bake, she has learned many things at various jobs over the years, and she herself has taught others how to bake. She has done a lot of baking for others from home, and even sold her baked goods at several farmer’s markets.

By opening her own bakery, she will be able to bring back to the community that almost-forgotten, long-missed treat of being able to go buy some bread, or rolls, or dessert that you know was made and baked fresh right there in the local bake shop.

Paragon Bakery will carry a full line of breads, rolls, pies, cakes, cookies, bars, breakfast items (like cinnamon rolls), tarts, and other desserts as well as coffee and sandwiches.

We are raising money now to help us buy the equipment and furniture needed to open our first brick-and-mortar storefront bakery, which we hope will create local jobs, provide a great environment for our 3 children to learn valuable work skills, and of course provide our customers with a place to come back to again and again for some real “paragon baking!”

This loan will help us buy a refrigerated bakery display case which costs about $3000. The rest will be put toward about $4000 of the cost of chairs and tables for the customer seating area. Having a beautiful product display as well as a comfortable and inviting seating area is key to ensuring sales growth and come-back customers.
Kiva Zip is a great way for our us to raise some of the funds needed to start our business, by providing our friends, family, and the general community with an easy way to be involved in this exciting adventure!
Our dream of having our own family business where our 3 children (Dylan -15, Kristin -13, and Sydney -11) can gain valuable work experience, as well as provide us with a way to be more involved in our local community will soon become a reality!