Barn Door Baking Company baker and co-owner Andrea “Annie” Leck kneads bread dough as Crystal Berg, the business’s office manager and co-owner, looks on in the company’s Damariscotta kitchen on Monday, Sept. 12. (Maia Zewert photo)
Longtime friends Crystal Berg (left) and Andrea “Annie” Leck recently opened Barn Door Baking Company. The business operates out of the barn attached to Crissy’s Breakfast and Coffee Bar, located at 212 Main St. in downtown Damariscotta. (Maia Zewert photo)
Two women who have been friends for more than 20 years recently opened a baking company in Damariscotta.
Andrea “Annie” Leck and Crystal Berg own Barn Door Baking Company, located in Damariscotta. The business operates out of the barn attached to Crissy’s Breakfast and Coffee Bar, located at 212 Main St.
For the past 2 1/2 years, Leck provided all the baked goods for Crissy’s Breakfast and Coffee Bar in Damariscotta. When the restaurant abruptly closed at the end of July, Leck had several orders she had pledged to fulfill through the end of the summer. She also began thinking about opening her own business.
“I knew I wanted to continue my job because I love it and have done it for a number of years,” Leck said. “The more I talked about it, the more I knew this was the perfect time in my life and in my career to be doing this.”
Leck shared her idea for Barn Door Baking Co. with Berg over lunch. The friends had long talked about going into business together.
“We’ve always had a great partnership, and we’ve always wanted to go into business together,” Berg said. “This just seemed perfect.”
Within a week, Barn Door Baking Co. was up and running. The name of the company was inspired by both the location of the business and the lack of a storefront.
“I liked baking company because it’s more true to what we actually are, which is a production kitchen,” Leck said.
Leck creates all of the baked goods, including pastries, breads, cakes, and pies, and also delivers orders. Berg, who also manages Granite Hall Store in Round Pond, is the company’s office manager and runs the company’s website and Facebook page.
Barn Door Baking Co. is available for custom orders, wholesale goods, and catering for a variety of events. Orders can be placed every day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and can either be picked up or delivered.
The company also provides baked goods to local retailers, including Round Pond Coffee, Spear Farms, and Waltz Soda Fountain.
No order is too small for Barn Door Baking Co. In one instance, a regular customer from Crissy’s called to ask if he could pick up two croissants, Leck said.
“Keeping the storefront out of it makes it less of a liability for us,” Berg said. “Whatever we’re baking, we know we’re selling. There’s much less waste.”
Leck and Berg plan to showcase Barn Door Baking Co. goods during the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta in October.
Both Leck and Berg said the community and their families have been very supportive of the new venture.
“There’s been nothing but excitement and pride,” Leck said. “Everyone has been so happy for us.”
For more information or to see a full menu, go to barndoorbakingcompany.com or find Barn Door Baking Company on Facebook and Instagram.
