Business & Tech

Great Harvest Bread Co. to Open in Stillwater

Natasha and Bob Fleischman—the Lake Elmo couple who also own Great Harvest Bread Company in Woodbury—hope to open up shop across from Cub Foods and next door to Certified Transmission in Stillwater.

Great Harvest Bread Co. will open a bakery in Stillwater early next year.

The announcement came over the weekend via a Facebook post:

“Now that the cement is laid and the interior walls are up, it is time to get some excitement,” the Facebook status update reads. “We're scheduled to open in January, 2013!”

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Natasha and Bob Fleischman—the Lake Elmo couple who also own Great Harvest Bread Company in Woodbury—hope to open up shop across from Cub Foods and next door to Certified Transmission in mid-January.

Stillwater Patch caught up with the Fleischman’s to ask a few questions. Read their answers to learn a bit more about Great Harvest Stillwater.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

What brought you to Stillwater?

We have lived in Lake Elmo for the last 11 years, our kids go to school in Stillwater, have played sports here, and our lives are centered on Stillwater and the St Croix Valley communities. We love the small-town feel and the fact that everyone knows everyone. It’s the perfect place for our family-owned bakery.

What is most exciting about opening this new store?

The ability to live and work in the same neighborhood. We can’t wait to serve our breads to our friends and neighbors. We will be moving all of our baking capabilities from our Woodbury bakery to Stillwater, and we really look forward to being part of this community as business members as well.

What does Great Harvest offer?

We specialize in whole-grain, hand-crafted breads. We actually grind our wheat and produce all of our whole-grain flour right in the bakery. That way we can ensure the best possible taste, freshness and nutrition. And everything is baked fresh that day. No frozen dough, no added chemicals or preservatives – ever. For breakfasters and early morning people, we will have freshly baked scones, muffins, cookies and sweet breads—all out of the oven before we open—as well as a full coffee service featuring locally roasted fair trade coffee. For the lunch crowd, we will be crafting grilled sandwiches using great ingredients, and of course, our own breads. For the gluten-free customers, we also make a gluten-free bread that is fabulous. Finally, we carry a variety of hand-made mixes (pancake, cookie, granolas, etc.) as well as an assortment of honeys, jams and things that go great with our breads.

When are you hoping to open?

We are currently in the midst of the build-out process and hope to be open by the middle of January.

What are some of your community ties?

As I mentioned above, we have lived in the area for 11 years. Natasha is a two-term school board member, and she has been very active in the school PTOs. Natasha has also been actively involved with the Partnership Plan raising money for the area schools, and this year, Natasha was the chair for the Music Department’s biggest fundraiser, the Rummage Sale. We have also been supporters of Valley Outreach, donating our breads each week to the local food shelf.

Anything else you’d like to say?

This is a second career for both of us. Three years ago, Bob left his career in marketing for large financial institutions and absolutely loves the day-to-day challenges of running a local bakery. It’s a genuine pleasure to get to know our customers on a first-name basis and chat about the day’s issues. We love the stories our customers tell us about their families and lives, and we’re honored that people feel comfortable enough to share their lives with us. It’s amazing how our effort to provide real food also helps build real community. We couldn’t do that as part of a large corporation. And as a small business, we also get to support other small businesses, from the contractors we’re using to build out the bakery, to the products we offer on our shelves. Our motto at our Woodbury bakery has been “Baking a Difference in Woodbury” and now we get to add “Baking a Difference in Stillwater,” as well. It feels good because this area is our home.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here