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<v 1>That first beginning of the pandemic was just panic.</v>

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We planned on shutting the business down, llike everybody. We thought we had to.

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I didn't see a viable way forward without just losing the business because we

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spent so much in labor. We have definitely changed.

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We're not the same place we were beforehand, but we're thriving.

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<v 2>All righty. Guess what today is. Friday? Friday, how'd you know?</v>

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<v 1>What I've always wanted to do was open my own bakery,</v>

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that's been my lifelong goal. This is our neighborhood. This is where we live.

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We live three blocks from here.

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We wanted to put in what we wanted to see in the neighborhood.

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I wanted it to be a neighborhood spot.

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I wanted it to be a community meeting place, which it definitely has become.

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I never thought it would be this big though.

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I'm surprised at how much we've grown. We're initially.

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<v 3>Concerned that, you know, would the neighborhood sustain it?</v>

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How can you have somebody coming every day eating cakes?

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So we're not just cakes -we're pastries or coffees,

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we do sandwiches and things that kind of make it a place that people do come

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back to every day. We're not tourist reliant. You can't throw a rock in this,

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in this block without hitting up an artist or a musician. For years, we did,

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you know,

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art shows and would change the art every month and incorporate art from,

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you know, the neighborhood artists.

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And we have a piano side and then we've had some really great players come play

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the piano. Minds would be blown from, you know,

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people just having a cup of coffee and having a world class pianist coming in,

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and where did that come from?

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We do give back to the community in that there's voter registration drives.

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We reward kids in school with,

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"Show us your report card." And here's a medal for it.

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<v 1>Whether it's knowing our customers or giving the dogs bacon,</v>

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supporting and caring about our team members, all of it creates community.

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<v 3>When the pandemic.</v>

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<v 1>Came, we didn't even know how to pivot in the beginning. It's just panic.</v>

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We're an.

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<v 3>Indoor business.</v>

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We had maybe 10 or 12 tables and folks would come and writers would sit and

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write. And it was an internet cafe and people would just hang out.

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<v 1>The pandemic evolved and we just kept evolving with it.</v>

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Everyone was so starved for community and for human contact.

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You know, when you came up, you saw tables, spaced out,

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but full of people that you know,

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that you can come and see your neighbors safely.

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And I think that really just helped people's mental health a lot.

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<v 3>We've had to expand our production area. Sad we can't allow people inside,</v>

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but we've made it as comfortable as we can on the outside with, you know,

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a little misting system and outdoor speakers and umbrellas and things.

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<v 1>It was hard questioning whether you're making good decisions.</v>

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The goal is to create a safe place, to keep people employed.

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But any decision we make could end it, it's hard work. It's hard,

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but what we've built is everything we could dream of. So it's worth it.

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Community's always worth it.

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<v 3>One of our neighbors, a bar owner down the street had a fire in their house.</v>

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They also live in the neighborhood and they're having a fundraiser.

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So we have a big block party plan and a brass band.

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And we are now planning to coordinate our time so that we can have a big second

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line parade and procession down to the corner,

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the corner bar to their fundraiser. The city, we work as a community.

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It's just what you do.

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There are many folks that come to New Orleans and have this sense of like, "Oh,

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I love new Orleans and I'm just going to live here." But unless you give back to

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it, you know, she's a living,

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breathing thing and she will spit you out and let you know, slow your roll,

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you know, come, come correct. Because the city, I really do believe,

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chooses you.