For Anna Claire and Matthew Stinson, the owners of Stinson Breads, creating and running a bakery is all about bringing high-quality, European-style bread culture to Opelika in a hospitable environment.
Located in historic downtown Opelika, Stinson Breads opened its bakery doors to the public earlier this year in late April. Open from Tuesday to Saturday, customers can find a variety of fresh bread, croissants, muffins and biscuits displayed in the front of the shop. Stinson Breads also wholesales to restaurants in Opelika and extends out to Montgomery and Columbus.
Anna Claire and Matthew developed a passion for what they describe as “bread culture” several years ago on a trip to Germany and France.
“People got up in the morning and go get a croissant or a baguette and then they go get lunch, and might get a sandwich or something, and then in the afternoon, they’re grabbing a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine,” Matthew shared. “Bread was a part of every point in their day.”
In 2019, Stinson Breads was set up out of the couple’s kitchen, where they iterated different sourdough and bread recipes. Continually motivated by their goals of quality and community, Stinson Breads grew to better meet the demand for fresh-baked goods around Opelika – a demand that is still growing. The Stinsons aim to do things the right way, without trying to overcomplicate or revolutionize things.
“[Baking] could be very simple and humble, but the quality could be so, so high, and just everyone appreciated it.” Matthew said. Anna Claire continued, “Take the best elements of that and then bring it here, because why not?”
“Why not?” seems to be a motivating question in the operations around Stinson Breads.
"Why can’t we have an amazing brand culture?” Anna Claire asked. To cultivate this brand culture, Stinson Breads focuses on hospitality, which they differentiate from customer service.
“Hospitality is something that you have to foster and nurture. It starts with us taking care of our team and then them taking care of each other. So, the idea is, like, a bakery should already be a hospitable place whether a customer is there or not," Matthew said.
The couple shared that they’re not trying to do anything revolutionary at Stinson Breads. Rather, they’re trying to do a few things very well and to the highest possible quality. Their goal is to demystify the idea of baking for their community.
In addition to their fresh, ready-to-purchase goods, Stinson Breads also hosts different workshop classes for beginners. Class options include making sourdough, pastry dough for croissants and sourdough variations.
“Maybe there are too many people on Instagram telling you how hard [making sourdough is],” Matthew said. “We just try to demystify and make these things approachable. . . there is artistry and craftsmanship in what we do, but anybody can do it with enough time and effort, and that’s how all of our classes are structured.”
In just a few minutes at their storefront, Matthew and Anna Claire welcome every customer who walks through the door, and everyone leaves with a smile and a brown paper bag in their hand. Customers have given the Stinsons all of the input necessary to scale their business, meet demand, and provide fair prices for high-quality goods.
As their product costs grow, they have continued to stay in touch with consumers and ask for feedback.
“Our prices for our first loaf of bread, I determined through an Instagram survey," Matthew said. “We have tried to be fair, going off of what people are willing to pay and can afford while also being responsible with our business and margins.”
These business foundations, learned through real-life experience instead of inside a business classroom, shape Stinson Breads into a true, up-and-rising staple of the Opelika community. As Anna Claire and Matthew think about the coming years, there are opportunities to grow, but these opportunities are considered skeptically:
“When you make the choice to grow, everything is going to grow proportionally [...] we have to be skeptical of that and say, ‘is this going to get us closer to our mission and values and accomplishing those things?’ and then ‘is now the right time?'"
For now, the right time to stop by Stinson Breads in downtown Opelika is Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 am-4:00 pm or until they sell out. When asked about their favorite bakery item, the couple seemed to agree that they have a special love for almond and chocolate croissants.
“We just want people to enjoy it and for it to be on their table and a part of their lives as often as they want it to be,” Anna Claire said. “We’re just trying to contribute this little bit to our community.”
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