Gourmet ‘Bearded Bakery’ to Open in Louisa this April

March 24, 2024

Beginning in April this year Louisa will be home to The Bearded Bakery, a confection bakery featuring cookies, brownie cups, pie-inspired cheesecakes and other goodies, all baked here using locally sourced ingredients and expert baking techniques.

The facility will share a building with Doshier’s Donuts at 309 East Main Street and will feature pickup, eat-in and, later this year, commercial and home delivery. For owner and Chief Baker, Toby Craig, the opening represents a lifelong attachment to baking. When asked how his love of baking began, Craig said “for me the love of baking began helping my mom and grandmother in the kitchen at age three.” While studying economics at Mary Washington University, Toby couldn’t shake his love of baking, selling his wares at Mineral’s Farmers Market in 2022 and 2023 and hatching plans to up his game by opening his own bakery.

As plans developed, Craig left his studies last year and began planning for the new business in downtown Louisa. Opening of The Bearded Bakery is planned for April 1, offering treats that are part top shelf ingredients, part specially selected equipment and a large part loving care.
After opening, the bakery will be open to sell from 8AM to 6PM Monday through Friday at its Main Street location, and Saturday at the Mineral Farmers Market from 1PM to 5PM.

Barry Schaeffer

Barry grew up and completed his schooling in southern California, moving to Virginia in 1980.

As a communicator, Barry was a regular columnist for CMSWire, as well as Intranet Development and Newspapers and Technology Magazines, and was a reporter for his local newspaper, The Central Virginian. He was also one of four consultant/authors for the landmark congressional study “Informing the Nation” (1987.)

As a customer service provider: while finishing college, he spent four years in the retail beverage industry, dealing directly with customers.

As a corporate manager, he was a successful manager with several firms, including:

At Pacific Telephone, he managed groups of up to 150 people and was rated Outstanding among managers in Southern California.
For Arcata Data Management, he took over a 100-person division known for significant monthly losses and late delivery penalties, taking it to profitability in less than six months.
For Planning Research Corporation, he managed a staff of 100 contractor personnel in the computer center for the White House (EOPCC), taking the Award Fee contract from zero award to maximum in six months.

As a project manager, Barry successfully led and completed major projects.

For the private sector: Pratt & Whitney Canada, Boeing Helicopter, Sikorsky Aviation, Ford Motor Company (through Tweddle Group,) World Book Encyclopedia, The Bureau of National Affairs.
For the Federal government: Congressional Research Service (CRS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U. S. Office Management and Budget (OMB), Executive Office of the President (White House), Department of Defense (Army National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC), Air Force Material Command, Naval Sea Systems Command.)
For State Governments: Administrative Code systems for Texas and Oklahoma.

As an entrepreneur, he co-founded and led two successful firms including X.Systems, (founded in 1993 and acquired by XyEnterprise in 2009.)

He is a graduate of California State University/Los Angeles with a BA in psychology, and of the rigorous Bell System Management Achievement Program.

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