In the heart of downtown Bellaire, a gourmet bakery has secured its place as a beloved establishment in Northern Michigan for nearly a decade. The story behind Ruthann’s Gourmet Bakery and Coffeehouse traces back to a little girl’s love for baking.
Ruthann Walosin-Dexter, the owner of the bakery, reminisces about her journey from mud pies to an Easy-Bake Oven, eventually transitioning to the real thing. “And once I got a decorator bag in my hand, that was all she wrote. I fell in love right then,” she recalls.
Initially starting as a hobby, Ruthann baked and decorated cookies from her home, gradually turning her passion into something much grander. The bakery, which began in a modest setting, has now expanded into a more significant storefront, fulfilling a long-standing dream for Ruthann.
“We were offered a storefront, and I’m like, oh, I don’t know. And then when we came in, we fell in love with that little corner back there. And so, we started with that. We didn’t even have two nickels to rub together. And then we’ve been back there for almost eight years, and I have always had my eyeballs on the front of this building, but it wasn’t available to me. And then when it became available, it was like, oh, yes!” Ruthann shares.
The recent expansion allows Ruthann’s Bakery not only to grow its business but also to create a welcoming atmosphere for the community. Ruthann envisions the bakery as a place that feels like walking into someone’s home, and she is thrilled to be living her dream.
“I’m in love with this spot. I am living my dream. I am,” she expresses.
When patrons step into Ruthann’s Bakery, they are treated to the very best, including Ruthann’s signature buttercream frosting, a recipe perfected since 1986.
“I like inventing. I like to create recipes and different foods and bettering things. I’m not a mediocre girl. It’s either the best or I don’t do it. And I think, too, in order to decorate things, you have to bake them. And I love to decorate. It’s my passion. It’s my wanting to be the best. So, when you come in here, you have to be pleased. It has to be, ‘that was amazing!’ Not, ‘it’s okay,’ you know, it has to be the best,” Ruthann emphasizes.
The success and recent expansion of Ruthann’s Bakery serve as a testament to hard work and determination. Ruthann’s story is a reminder that with passion, patience, and dedication, one can achieve anything.
“You know, you look around and you’re like, wow, we made this happen. And it did. And it didn’t matter about my age or my financial situation or anything. You know, if you want something bad enough and you have the passion and the patience because it took a while – follow that dream,” urges Ruthann.
While expressing a desire to expand in the future, Ruthann is currently content with her bakery in northern Michigan, where the journey all began.