A Coffee Shop with Baked Goods is Welcoming Lee Customers
LEE, Mass. — Bliss Crumbs and Coffee is a new shop on Lee's Main Street that has been open for a couple of months.
Owner Becca Bliss Lilley said she loves when she bakes and decided one day to just open her own shop and leave her former position as a human relations manager.
"I think everyone can relate. You're at work and you just get annoyed with things, and I left there one day. I loved my job, don't get me wrong. I loved my job and I loved the people I worked with," she said. "Just left one day and I told my husband that I'm opening up a coffee shop, whether he liked it or not, he said, 'OK, let's do it.' So that was really it. You know, I just always wanted to bake, and I am happier when I bake."
Lilley was thinking about this back in September and came upon 77 Main St. She opened Jan. 12.
She makes her baked goods fresh every morning and loves to see the joy it gives customers.
"I started baking when I was working at a bed and breakfast when I must have been maybe 22. I messed up on my first batch of scones, horribly. And then I just, I don't know, I just like doing it. It's just relaxing," Lille said. "I like the pleasure when you're feeding someone like when you're giving someone a baked good and they enjoy it, it really makes me happy. I also like giving baked goods to my friends and my family, and, you know, hearing their reactions. It's also just stress reducing. It's just very relaxing."
Lilley says her baked goods vary when it comes to the most popular -- she thought it would be chocolate chip cookies but while popular, the monkey bread muffins were a real hit.
"Most recently, it's been my scones. It varies," she said.
Her menu also varies as she bakes what she feels like making for the day. But she always makes sure there's one or two gluten-free options in the case.
Since opening, she said her community has been great, including the businesses around her.
"I think every place down here has been just such a great support system. And it's really great to see coming into a town that you grew up in, and a lot of them are people that you have gone to school, that I've gone to school with, or have known throughout my life, which is really lovely as well, but they've been just really supportive. The community has been really supportive," Lilley said.
She has also opened her cafe up to two community events: a knitting circle and a book club. She provides some baked goods and coffee and tea and the clubs are free to join.
Some advice she would give to someone else doing this is to just do it.
"I think just go for it. You're never going to be ready. I've constantly wanted to do something forever and always said, I'm not ready. I'm not ready. I'm still not ready. And I'm three months into it, so, like, I'm still not ready. Don't doubt yourself."
Her kids helped come up with the name Bliss Crumbs and Coffee -- her maiden name is Bliss and they wanted to remember their dog Crumbs. She says she also wanted to open a business to show her kids that you can do what you want to do.
"I also want my children to witness their mother doing something, to go for their dreams. A lot of times being a mother, you're kind of stuck in this one role that you're working. You go home, you do this," she said. "I just want my kids to see me accomplish something and follow my dreams."
The cafe is open every day but Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lilley is considering expanding those hours for the summer.
Tags: new business, bakery, cafe,
