Our Story
When owner and baker, Lezli-O'Neal Lewis, found out about her gluten allergy eight years ago, she began figuring out how to make gluten-free versions of the comfort foods and treats she missed the most. Eating out and trying new foods has always been something she enjoyed. After being underwhelmed with the gluten free dining options here, with much encouragement and support from family and friends, she decided to start selling her baked goods at markets in hopes to one day open a brick and mortar location. That day came sooner than expected when she was connected with a local building owner in her neighborhood who was willing to join in and help create a place for their community to gather over food and coffee once again.
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Nothing goes better with a warm cinnamon roll or biscuit than a cup of hot coffee. Therefore Lezli knew the team wasn't quite complete just yet. Thankfully when plans for a beverage partner changed last minute, a serendipitous meeting lead to the addition of Brittany Emery, the genius behind Wilder Brews at CRK. She thoughtfully crafts all the house made syrups and herbal elixirs to not only satisfy your tastebuds but also benefit your body and uplift your mood. You may have also enjoyed some of her Wilder Bites like the protein cups or "More than perfect" bars. As a Florida native, she has worked in several Kava bars and learned about the vast benefits of this herb that has a similar effect to alcohol without all the harmful side effects or addictive properties. So she will soon be introducing the wonders and benefits of a Wilder Brews Kava bar at Carving Rock!!
We call ourselves a micro-bakery because we decided to get started with what we had available instead of making our gluten-free friends wait any longer. Unfortunately we ran into some major obstacles with our first space regarding plumbing issues that were causing health and safety concerns forcing us to move out unexpectedly after just 7 weeks of opening. However, we have finally secured new location and will be back up and running very soon! We are so appreciative of every one of you who supported us at our first location and donated to our Kickstarter so we could get relocated. Our Kickstarter was originally going to be to expand our operations and offerings with bigger and better equipment. With the unfortunate plumbing and landlord situation we found ourselves in, that changed to helping us relocate and replace the equipment that had been owned by the landlord. We still plan to expand our offerings and capacity as soon as possible and we welcome your continued support and patronage when we reopen in order to do so. We cannot wait to see you all again and serve you all the gluten free goods your heart desires!