Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Daughenbaugh.
Hi Todd, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
After moving to Delaware in 2002 with my wife, Leigh, and two children, Joshua and Ryan, I spent more time commuting to Columbus than in my own hometown and was missing out on the revitalization that was happening in Delaware, especially in the Historic Downtown community.
After 25+ years in auditing, accounting & financial management, I needed a “Fresh Start” from sitting behind a desk and was looking to start a business that would allow me to connect with the people and the community.
Seeing the need for a made-from-scratch bakery, Leigh and I set out to bring high-quality pastries and desserts to the people of Delaware and surrounding communities. We then partnered with an award-winning local coffee roaster, Crimson Cup, to complement the bakery with equally high-quality coffee, tea, and other drinks. Thus, Fresh Start Café & Bakery was opened in July 2016.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
This has been the hardest, but the most rewarding, thing I have ever done. My journey started with Survive, then Strive, and then Thrive. We were on track to finally being profitable when COVID hit. Since then, the strategy has been to stay Alive and then Revive. It has never been “easy”, but the Delaware Community is amazing and so supportive!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Fresh Start Cafe & Bakery?
Fresh Start Café & Bakery is a made-from-scratch bakery, a premium coffee bar, and a source of crafted food and catering services located in Historic Downtown Delaware, Ohio.
From amazing pastries and desserts, award-winning coffee, delicious food, and excellent customer service, Fresh Start provides Quality Every Time!
We exist for the Community. Food & drink and community are inseparable. It brings us together, shapes our memories, and empowers our communities. Bonds with loved ones become stronger, and strangers feel like strangers no more.
Quality Every Time! means:
– Excellent Customer Service: People who come to Fresh Start deserve to be part of an excellent customer service experience, not a business transaction.
– Specialty Coffee and Beverage: Our baristas hand-craft beverages using high-quality products including coffee by Crimson Cup, a local award-winning roaster with award-winning beans sourced throughout the world.
– Made-From-Scratch Baked Goods: Our desserts, pastries, and bread start with basic ingredients like flour, water, sugar, and salt. Starting as early as 2 AM, our bakers do not use pre-made doughs, icings, fillings, or mixes. Baking in this way is an art and the quality is obvious from the first bite.
– Quality Food & Elegant Catering: Quality is also evident in our food and catering options. From our daily sandwiches to catered hors d’oeuvres and complete meals, fresh ingredients and beautiful displays make any occasion an elegant event.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Delaware offers big-city experiences with a small-town feel. The uniqueness of the food, beverage, and the retail scene makes Delaware a unique experience that is typically found in larger cities. The community events and friendly people make it feel like home.
Delaware is home to a lot of work commuters that leave the city. I know this from experience since I commuted to Columbus for 13 years. I say that I “lived in Columbus” and “slept in Delaware”. I wish more of the residents would get to experience everything that is going on here, especially in the Historic Downtown.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @freshstartcafeandbakery
- Facebook: @freshstartcafeandbakery
