Page 18 - Newsletter_Winter_2021

Brighten the Corner

HOMEGROWN
HOULTON

Where You Are

By Paula Woodworth ‘70

Cari Gibson ‘88, the owner of the Pastry Corner, is very popular in our little town. We’ve been eating her delicious pastries for
around twenty years. When she was the manager at Dow’s Market, they were unable to get delivery of packaged cookies and
cakes. Reggie asked her to bake some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in the pizza oven and a new career was born. Cari said
she still has the original Kitchen Aid mixer that Reggie bought her and uses it in her bakery today.

As the baked goods became more popular, Reggie built Cari a bakery area in the corner of the market in 2004. I remember
seeing her working back there when I would stop by. By 2008 she moved into her own building off Bangor Street and now is
in her current shop on Bangor Street.
In addition to the local shop, her pastries can be found in ten other locations in Houlton, Monticello and Presque Isle.
Whoopie pies are her biggest seller. The sea salt caramel is my favorite.
Cari said she has always had a drive to build a business. Her favorite thing about her
work is seeing kids who are happy with their cakes. The hardest thing is trying to
find time to go on vacation. She feels guilty if she’s not available to make a cake when
someone needs it. Her favorite part of the bakery business is decorating iced cakes.

Cari told me that she feels very lucky

and blessed with her business.

Cari’s newest endeavor is making macarons. If you have not tried one, I highly recommend it. Making them is time consuming
and a bit tricky, but they are becoming popular around town. She sent me home with a box of them which I have been
savoring.
Like all small businesses dealing with Covid, there have been challenges. Getting supplies is difficult. Cari showed me a tower
of peanut butter that she was recently able to purchase. Cocoa and cake boxes are hard to find. When Covid first appeared here
they closed the bakery for a week. They continued stocking the stores and switched to selling curbside. Her two employees kept
working with her. Payroll protection funds helped her keep the business going. They are continuing to sell curbside only and
are busier than ever. The stores they stock are staying busy. Last October she sold 500 Halloween cookies and has just listed
them to order for this year.

Another challenge of small business is trying to keep her prices reasonable. Minimum wage increases have affected her business.
She pays more than minimum wage so when the minimum increases, she raises her pay rates. That affects what she needs to
charge to stay profitable.

Cari told me that she feels very lucky and blessed with her business. Word of mouth advertising really helps her. She now
spends three days in the bakery and the rest of the week she works from home on the other aspects of the business.

Cari graduated from HHS in 1988. She said her favorite teachers were Mr. Ludwig and Mrs. Scovill who taught typing and
shorthand. She liked their teaching styles and thought they were good people. Like many of us here in town, Cari still remains
in touch with her high school friends.

Treat yourself to a curbside pickup at the Pastry Corner or grab a box of treats at one of the local sellers. It will brighten your
day.

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