Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Patrick.
Hi Melanie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started baking macarons in 2018 while my husband was stationed in Clovis, NM. We moved to Maryland that summer, and I began selling them to my neighbors and eventually at art events and festivals. When he retired, we moved to Ocala, where his parents live, and I joined the Downtown Market. I stayed there for 2 years, building up my customers and expanding our offerings. We found a space close to the market and the Square and did a build-out. Our bakery took off, and recently, another baker in town needed out of her lease, so we took over and did another remodel to add our second location. We have lovely customers who drive from all over Florida and GA to visit us.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s still a struggle! Lol. I didn’t go to business school. My husband and I have medical backgrounds, which are new to us. Finding good help has never been a problem for us. The costs of a brick-and-mortar are what give us the most headaches.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are known for having unique flavor profiles for our baked goods, and most importantly, everything is gluten-free. We make everything in-house. We don’t use preservatives, so most items have a short shelf life. We began with French macarons, but we sell many items—cinnamon rolls, cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, tarts, pies, etc. I truly believe what sets us apart is that we have a happy team. We all love what we do, which comes through in our food. I am most proud of our carrot cake as it was my mother’s recipe. We sell so much carrot cake. 😊
What matters most to you? Why?
Relationships. Relationships with our team and our customers. Many people in the service industry have been poorly treated. We’ve all been there. We’ve had bad days when we felt not so proud about how we talked to the ones who are paid to help us. We try to make you feel at home when you enter our shops. Do employees have bad days? Certainly! No one is perfect, but a friendly encounter can change the trajectory of anyone’s day. Regarding employees, we treat them like the wonderful people they are. We have some of the best creatives around. We try to go above and beyond in scheduling, time off, building peer relationships, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: Soleilocala.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soleilocala?igsh=dHkybHNkeTN5bDI0&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
https://www.facebook.com/share/fiivaAWKsDTYRiZB/?mibextid=WC7FNe She took the first image.
