Story and photos by Jennifer Kornegay
For years before she opened Fort Payne’s The Bakehouse Downtown in 2022, owner Crestah Taylor taught elementary school. And while she still owns and oversees the combo coffee shop, bakery and cafe, she returned to the classroom this year.
Yet, she was always instructing others and still is, even when she’s not in school, teaching her team and her customers why quality matters and how hospitality works by her example.
But it all started with cookies and coffee. “I love baking, and when my kids were little, I made and decorated cookies for parties and showers on the side,” she says. As she and her family traveled the country, she discovered a love of good coffee and the cute, comfy coffee shops that served it, too. When she saw a vacant building in downtown Fort Payne, she didn’t overthink the idea that struck.
“It was kinda a whim, but I just decided I wanted a bakery and coffee shop of my own, a place where people would come and relax and enjoy really good things,” she says. The space needed a lot of TLC; Taylor recalls it was merely “a hole.” But a blank canvas provided her a chance to create what she envisioned when the inspiration
first struck.
Today, The Bakehouse’s bright white interior and its minimalist yet inviting decor welcome guests: Those who pop in to grab a flaky chocolate croissant, and others who snag a window seat and tuck into a cinnamon dulce latte with a book, a friend or their laptop.
And there are those who order fried-egg-topped breakfast bowls filled with crisp roasted potatoes, black beans and cheese in the morning, or come midday, one of the Bakehouse’s lunch options, like the Figgy, with smoked turkey and sharp white cheddar tucked between slices of whole grain bread slathered with fig jam, or a grilled cheese (packed with smoked gouda, sharp white cheddar and caramelized onion jam) begging to be dunked in creamy tomato bisque. A wrap stuffed with turkey, bacon and shredded Colby jack, plus seasonal items like the strawberry-spinach salad in spring or apple-walnut salad in autumn round out the selections.
Taylor’s eye and palate-pleasing iced cookies are often available too. And dietary restrictions don’t stop fans of The Bakehouse. Many of its salads and soups are gluten-free, gluten-free bread is available by request, and Taylor tries to keep at least one gluten-free pastry or muffin in the rotation as well.
A change of seasons
Each autumn brings a new reason to fall for The Bakehouse. In October, it began opening at night on Thursdays, serving a single-dish dinner, like big bowls of hearty, homey cheese tortellini soup, with sourdough toast and a chopped salad on the side and sea-salt-caramel brownies for dessert. (Watch The Bakehouse’s social media for dates and menus.)
Taylor explains the motivations behind the menu. “Everything has some kind of spin on it, like serving pickled okra spears with sandwiches instead of a traditional pickle.” Every item is Taylor’s own recipe or her twist on something she’s eaten and enjoyed at other cafes. She discovered the Bakehouse’s DOMA coffee on a trip to Zion National Park. She visited the northern Idaho-based company’s “coffee lab” before opening, where she learned to create The Bakehouse’s flavoring syrups — vanilla, coconut, cinnamon and more — that get stirred into specialty coffee drinks, which change with the seasons.
The common threads are commitment to quality and Taylor allowing her perfectionist streak to lead the way. “The key things for me are good ingredients and homemade,” she says. The Bakehouse makes its own soups and sauces from scratch and bakes all pastries fresh daily. Housemade herb mayo embellishes sandwiches. The breakfast sandwich with bacon, scrambled eggs and gouda gets a kick from housemade sriracha aioli and tang from housemade pickled onions.
Taylor’s team delights in the details too, taking the time to go through extra steps, like cold-steeping organic looseleaf teas for 24 hours to deliver big bold flavor. “I have a great manager, and we are all a big family,” she says. “I’m really particular; I want everyone who comes in here to leave really happy, and my team helps me achieve that.”
Their skill and adherence to Taylor’s high standards made it possible for her to return to her other love — teaching — with zero trepidation. Downtown Fort Payne also garners her affection. She and her kids live in an old craftsman-style house they renovated downtown. “I love living down here; I love just walking around,” she says. When The Bakehouse opened, there weren’t many other businesses to stroll to, but downtown now boasts a boutique, a spa and a wine bar, with a flower shop and yoga studio opening soon.
“I’m proud to play a role in the revitalization,” Taylor says. She’s equally thrilled to note a distinction in the downtown’s renaissance. “This entire street is all women-owned businesses, except for a game store, but the owner’s wife helps, so I think that counts too,” she says.
Now several years in, Taylor looks back and believes she’s hitting the goal she set. “It’s a small space, but it’s built on quality in what we serve and a welcoming vibe that entices people to just come hang out,” she says. “I love watching people come together here.”
