Granny C’s Bakery: A Family Affair

Walking into a bakery can be an exercise in dietary discipline.

The very nature of a bakery is one of indulgence, with rows of sweet treats on display – seemingly begging to become one with all who walk through the shop doors.

Now keep in mind, when I say bakery, I mean a real bakery.

Not Wal-Mart.

Not Meijer.

A real bake shop.

Granny C’s Bakery in Huber Heights on Old Troy Pike is that genuine bake shop – where you’re greeted by the smell of sugar and warm dough fresh from the oven, the sight of crisp confections that were rolled, twisted and shaped by hand, and the sound of controlled chaos emanating from the back room as trays of cookies slide onto metal racks, mixers hum and whir in the background and bodies move vigorously to prepare the day’s delights.

Streaks of flour and frosting form abstract patterns across the aprons of bakers as these artisans create edible expressions early in the morn.

The true success of Granny C’s, however, isn’t in the frosting or fruit filling – it’s in family.

“My retirement was gonna go from my pocket to these four kids anyway,” jokes Rebecca McDaniel, owner of Granny C’s. “I may as well make ’em work and learn how to make a living.” Two of those ‘kids’ are daughters Tina Fiore and Sarah Taubert, co-owners of Granny C’s Bakery. Their husbands bake and help out as well. Travis McDaniels, Rebecca’s husband of 41 years, rounds out the nucleus of the bakery.

A true family affair.

Rebecca’s pastry experience began back in 1969, when she was employed at Dixie Donuts as a donut maker before being promoted to shift supervisor. “I was the first woman supervisor at Dixie,” recalls McDaniel. “I worked there about a year doing donuts. I never thought I’d use it again!”

After the stint with Dixie Donuts, Rebecca stepped away to have a family and operate an in-home daycare. “My kids never got store bought cookies or anything else,” she says. “I always liked to bake and I made them home-cooked meals. They loved it, and I got to stay at home with my kids.”

When the kids got older, Rebecca worked as a real estate agent before handling accounting duties for Southern Ohio Kitchens for ten years. When the opportunity presented itself, her baking and small business backgrounds gave her the experience she needed to open up shop in Huber Heights.

She flung open her doors on February 1 and hasn’t looked back since.

“I don’t care if I get one penny back from my investment,” she says. “If we get to be profitable and these kids can make a living…I’ll be happy.”

Who is Granny C.?

Kathryn Cope, "Granny C."

“Granny C. was my grandmother,” says Rebecca McDaniel. “She was a very nice lady. I loved my grandmother very much. She was a very special person. She was my only grandparent since I was one year old and she was always there for me. She was a very active, wonderful woman.

“Granny had a girl scout troop…she was with girl scouts her whole life. In the 1930’s, she drove her girl scouts to the West Coast. To this day the girls [from that troop] get together and meet every Christmas. She was very active in church, and very active in the Harrison Township community. Grandmother was just a special person.”

Everything at Granny C’s is original. The icing, cream filling, flavorings and glazes are all from scratch. “Nothing comes from a bucket,” says McDaniel. The store’s variety of fresh baked breads are all original recipes.

“We’re always looking for recipes.”

And she means it. Customers have brought in their family recipes for the bakery to make for special occasions. The only extra charge is the cost of the ingredients. They also take special orders on pies. “We do a killer pecan pie,” boasts McDaniel.

Sarah Taubert, head cake decorator, appreciates the freedom she has from working within the family environment. She’s responsible for about ninety percent of the wedding, birthday, graduation and specialty cakes that leave the bakery. “I worked at Sam’s Club for a while and couldn’t really be creative.  People walk in here and say, ‘this is what I like, this is the color I like…go for it!’

“You never know who’s going to walk through the door,” she adds.

But if you think Granny C’s is just about sweets, you’re mistaken. They have a robust catering menu from Maple Bacon Cocktail weenies, tiny sausages wrapped in bacon and smothered in brown sugar, to Southwestern Roll Ups, a zesty tortilla treat.

And if you’re on the road in the early morning driving either to or from work, the shop has an added convenience for you: a drive-through service that allows you to pick up the “Red-Eye Special”, a cup of coffee and two donuts for $2.00, without leaving your vehicle (from 6-8 a.m.).

With the commitment to quality and community, Granny C’s Bakery is poised to be around for a long time.

Granny C’s Bakery

5115 Old Troy Pike

Huber Heights, OH 45424

937-236-1230

To visit their website click here.

To visit Granny C’s facebook page, click here.