I’ve really enjoyed my first week here in Dallas because I’ve gotten to go and just enjoy some of the things that this city has to offer. The best part of that is with my parents here, it’s all free (I’m only partly kidding…). Anyway, this afternoon my parents and I decided to do one of our Dallas rituals and walk down the street from my brother’s house to some of our favorite little shops and stores. This area of town is a very eclectic area with such a motley and unique community that it’s fun to go and explore. So we walked down to Buffalo Exchange, Society Bakery and The Corner Market to just see what we could run into.
I really enjoy going to Buffalo Exchange because it’s basically a trendy thrift store, but there’s something in me that still hasn’t rushed back into this shopping thing just yet. I still haven’t bought any new clothes in almost a year and I just can’t seem to break that. So it got to a point where I was just done. I was over shopping and didn’t want to stay there another second and really just wanted a fancy cupcake from Society Bakery. As we walked next door, my parents told me that they had met some great people the last time they were there and were hoping they were working again. It ends up that I actually know these people. Well, I’ve never met them, but I had heard that they existed, so I was excited to meet them.
The senior pastor of our home church, Dan Brenton, has a daughter that married a guy whose mom, Gaynell, runs this little bakery (I know right? Whose mother’s uncle’s brother’s roommate?). But I had actually heard of this family and this bakery is even making national headlines with endorsements from celebrities like Oprah and they even made it on Ellen Degeneres’ Top Ten Cupcakes list (I hear that’s a big deal, I mean, I’m writing a blog about them, but I guess Ellen still has a little more sway). All that aside, I really enjoyed getting to know Gaynell and her daughter Tess as we stood in the shop.
It was great to find out that not only is their family in full time ministry, but this bakery is actually a ministry of its own at times. They donate to dozens of charities around the area with their profits and they’re not shy about sharing why they do what they do. In just the few minutes I had with them, I could tell they weren’t attempting to push a message on anyone, but they were inside the culture, selling a product and loving it just the same. Honestly, delicious pastries aside, that was an uplifting environment to walk in to and to just meet the ones behind the counter was a blessing. I think it’s easy to overlook the people that ring us up or deliver goods, but I loved the conversation today. Truthfully, I probably never would have had it without the connection because I don’t want to get in the way of business, but I just couldn’t walk away.
This little bakery is not only making an unbelievable product (I had the Oreo cupcake and I can’t even put this thing into words. Too good.) but they are living for something so much bigger than a top ten list. Awards and customer awareness is huge because that’s what they do, but who they are is something so much bigger. It was so cool to hear their story today and find a place that I will have to go back to.
