Sweet New Location: How A Young Baker is Making it Big

Most 22 year olds want to stay as far away from their elders as possible, but Michaela Lofthus is not your typical millennial.

As the owner of Simply Scrumptious, now located on the corner of Main and 2nd Street in Sidney, Lofthus is developing the business into one which harkens back to the glory days of local bakeries and morning coffee hot-spots. "We're everyone's home sweet home and we really want to embody that," Lofthus said. "We want to have everyone feel at home here, and I think we achieved that."

Waking up at 4:00am, she and another baker hit the kitchen to make fresh breads, donuts, moist scones, and other unique delicacies. Lofthus isn't only going by the book, she's also an alchemist of all manner of sweet treats. As the owner, she answers to no one but the customer, which allows her to have free play with the recipes and come up with striking new baked goods every day.

"We put a lot of time in to creating the different flavors and listening to the feedback everyone gives us," Lofthus said. "I can do anything I want! Like the other day I made a banana Nutella crepe cake. Having another baker here frees up a little bit of time to be creative."

Sabrina works as a baker alongside Lofthus in the kitchen, and even electively on her days off. The dedication and joy these two bakers bring is immediately palpable upon meeting them. "I love that Michaela allows us creativity, and the fact that she doesn't mind me coming in on my days off," Sabrina said. "She's an incredible boss, I've had lots of jobs in my life and she's the best boss I've ever had. We come here and get to make things that our community is in need of and makes them smile. I get to be creative and bake all morning long. That's the best job in the world and I get to do it."

Loving what you do is a rare thing, and being a complete success at it is another. This new location has been an important step for the business and Lofthus is already making great headway getting more customers through the doors. Aside from the revamped and much larger sitting area, Lofthus also has a plan for keeping customers in their cars.

A drive through window is the next major step Simply Scrumptious will take. "We've already doubled our business with no drive through," Lofthus said. "80% of our old business was our drive through."

That morning cup of coffee, either grabbed through the window or picked up at the counter, is another area which Lofthus and her baristas put exceptional care into. Learning the art of the bean in the Oregon and Washington area, she specially selected a coffee blend which she believes can appeal to everyone. "In our 6-bean blend, each bean has a different acidity level and they pull differently," Lofthus said. "These come together to make our espresso really smooth and an easy pour. It's something everyone can drink, and not just a hardcore coffee drinker."

Each element of what Lofthus puts into customers' hands is important, but her focus goes beyond just four corners of Simply Scrumptious. Aware that a few businesses on Main Street have shuttered, she is focused on the larger picture as well. "I love that we're able to revitalize Main Street a little bit," Lofthus said.

As she continues the baking tradition of her family through Simply Scrumptious, Lofthus sees a bright and exciting future in downtown Sidney. "I've made a million friends, my employees have become like family. I just really enjoy myself," she said. "After all, calories are allergic to love."