Karen Spyce is enjoying being the owner of the Sault’s COBS Bread bakery located in Churchill Plaza.
SooToday first spoke with Spyce in June 2023 when the COBS Bread website listed Spyce as the bakery’s Sault franchisee.
Spyce was hoping to be open for business by August but the official opening took place Nov. 9 after several construction delays.
“It was extremely gratifying to open after a long wait. All great things come with patience,” Spyce told SooToday Thursday.
“Customers were literally lined up outside the door for quite some time,” Spyce said, recalling that first day in business.
“It was busy. It was great to see. The customers were great. They didn’t mind waiting in line. The staff was amazing. I had staff coming in early to work a longer shift just so that we could keep up. We anticipated that it would be busy but we didn’t anticipate being as busy as we were.”
COBS Bread bakes many types of fresh bread and treats in house daily.
There are more than 150 COBS Bread locations across Canada.
Spyce puts in long days at the bakery with husband and bakery co-owner Matt.
“There are days where we’re in here at 3 a.m. and here throughout the day and into the evening. Those days came more in the beginning phase to get the staff well trained. There are lots of long hours for sure. We’re here pretty much seven days a week at various hours to support the staff.”
The bakery opens daily at 6 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m.
However, Spyce said “the team that we have makes it less stressful.”
There are nine bakers and 17 front counter staff on Spyce’s team, a mixture of full and part time employees including students on evenings and weekends.
“The support from family and friends as well as the community has made running the business much easier. It’s our first business venture but our team is exceptional and deserves all the credit because without them we wouldn’t have anything,” Spyce said.
“The rewards are seeing the happy faces come through those doors and leaving with baked fresh goods every day and seeing the repeat customers, getting to know them and knowing what they like when they come in.”
In keeping with COBS Bread’s End of Day Giving program, Spyce donates unsold baked goods to the needy at the end of every day.
The local COBS Bread bakery donates unsold baked goods to Pauline's Place, ARCH, Larimar Group Homes, H.M. Robbins Public School, Ben R. McMullin Public School and River View Public School.
“I love that aspect,” Spyce said of COBS Bread’s policy of giving back to communities, adding her store will soon be involved with fundraising for the Alzheimer Society Sault Ste. Marie & Algoma District.