Bake Me Happy
About Bake Me Happy:
Letha Pugh and Wendy Miller Pugh have reinvented gluten free baked goods and made them so perfectly delicious, no one will be able to resist. Wendy realized 20 years ago she had a gluten intolerance and decided to remove it completely from her diet. With no baking experience, the two began testing and refining gluten free recipes with extreme attention to detail. They are very serious about gluten and do not allow any gluten in the bakery. Bake Me Happy has two locations with the main bakery on East Whittier St and the other in the North Market Bridge Park. Some of the delectable baked goodies offered include: oatmeal cream clouds, spicy peanut butter cookies, the amazing donut muffin, the snack cakes (2 flavors), quinoa flake monster cookie, scones and famous unicorn bar to name a few. Bake Me Happy also has cakes, pies and cupcakes in many flavors available to order for that special occasion. You can even pick up their treats at local spots like Core Cafe, Victoria’s Secret Cafes, Crew Stadium, The Ohio State campus, Zora’s House and others. How amazing it is to have these baked goodies that EVERYONE can enjoy whether there are gluten restrictions or not. Make sure to check out their online store with pick up and delivery options (through Door Dash-Whittier location only).
How Did The Idea Come About?
After removing gluten from her diet, Wendy realized how much better she felt and started to experiment with gluten free recipes. With Letha focusing on the business side of things, this powerhouse couple worked tirelessly to learn different variances of flour blends to mimic the texture of gluten. These were taste tested over and over to ensure every bite is going to be marvelous. Originally opening the bakery in south Columbus, the two found an opportunity to move into their current location (an old post office) on Whittier St in Schumacher Place. This new building had “good bones” and offered them about 25% more space and became their main hub for Bake me Happy. In between the original location and the current location, they had caught the eye of Rick at the North Market. He reached out to Letha and invited them to come for a tour of the Bridge Park North Market and in early 2021 they were excited to enter as a merchant and extend the reach to new communities.
What’s Your Favorite Thing About Being a Part of The North Market?
Letha and Wendy are happy to extend their reach to other parts of the area. Making it easier for everyone to enjoy these spectacular treats without worrying about the effects gluten may have on them is the reason Bake Me Happy does what they do. The Bridge Park location allows them to share ideas, resources and learn from other long standing merchants as well as build relationships in a tight knit community where everyone helps everyone grow and succeed. The support of the local communities for each location is a main reason Bake Me Happy has become a go to spot for mouth watering treats that anyone can and will enjoy!
What are Must Orders on the Menu?
- King Dong
- Pop Tarts (usually on weekends)
- Cream Cheese Cutout
- Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
- Oatmeal Cream Clouds
Story of Bake Me Happy and Letha & Wendy
The story of Letha and Wendy goes far beyond Bake Me Happy. While they have managed to offer Columbus meticulously thought out recipes for their gluten free options, they are also well known for being heavily involved in the community and charities across the city. Letha is co-owner of Prestons Burger Joint and brought gluten free options there as well. About 30% of sales at Preston’s is gluten free which requires separate spaces for prep, cooking and storage to ensure true gluten free food. Along with two others she also started Service! which is an organization that helps financial insecurity in the hospitality business that started due to the impact of the pandemic in 2020. They partnered with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and opened Cafe Overlook in April of 2022. The mission is to advocate for service-industry workers, working to eliminate financial insecurity, strengthen the workforce, and improve opportunities for advancement in the restaurant industry, with a goal of building a sustainable restaurant community in Central Ohio. This amazingly humble and impactful duo are a true representation of the best parts of Columbus and what it stands for!
Email:
Phone:
614-683-8787
Website:
Merchant's operating hours:
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Monday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.