Imagine waking up to amazing scents of fresh bread and pastries. Well, for folks in Milan, it’s nothing to imagine as each morning the Milan Square is filled with the smells of fresh bread, bagels, croissants and so much more. And, buyers from all over the region are flocking to this mom-and-pop bakery.
Baker On The Square was established in March 2022 by Richard and Amy Shafer, longtime Milan residents. When the couple decided to open their bakery, there was no other place than home and right on the beautiful historic village square. The building where the bakery is located, 47 Front St.
, was built in 1900 and has been home to many businesses over the years. Such businesses include JC Dorr – Groceries and Notions in the early 1900s and the Milan Post Office until the late 1960s. When Richard Shafer was 5 years old, he received his first bike from the Cycle Shop at the location, and ironically enough, his father, also named Richard, a local photographer, owned and operated The Ice Cream Emporium in the very same store front in the 1970s.
The building has a strong family connection. So, when the couple purchased the property in 2021, they embarked on a nine-month renovation to restore the building’s integrity with a “vintage modern” decor. Shafer calls himself a life-long novice baker, being influenced by his grandmother and his parents.
“Baking is something I’ve always been good at. So when we decided to make a life change, a bakery was a natural fit,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to do something on my own.
“My father was an entrepreneur, so I guess that drive is also in me and it comes naturally. I was unhappy with what I was doing and I decided that my kids are grown, so let’s try something and see what happens. “My wife was reluctantly supportive, but I had just grown so tired of the corporate environment and I always enjoyed baking, so it seemed to make some sense.
” Shafer worked in corporate human resources for several years after graduating from Edison High School and eventually earning his master’s degree from Norwich University. Amy Shafer continues her career with the Huron City Schools, and recently son Nicholas joined the bakery. Baker On The Square has 10 employees.
“I was always naturally drawn to baking and eventually got pretty good at it,” Shafer said. “Over the years, I’ve tweaked a few recipes here and there and had this vision in my head. “It took us about six months after we opened to really find our footing, but now, sales continue to rise, we have a great staff and the word seems to really be spreading.
“We sort of fill a niche market. There’s just not a lot of mom-and-pop bakeries around anymore, it seems like that’s more of a thing of the past. But, when you make a really good product, love what you do, and fill a unique niche, people come from miles around.
” Shafer said the top sellers are the multipack pastries, followed closely by their homemade cheesecakes. Pastries are baked fresh every morning while their varieties of breads, including favorites honey wheat, sourdough and rye, are baked fresh each evening. For more information, visit bakeronthesquare.
com or call 567-401-6120..
