Today we’d like to introduce you to Hunter Briley.
Hi Hunter, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
So here are my thoughts.. this is intended to be somewhat rambling but only so you will get the idea. I have been in culinary my entire life. I love food. I always thought that that was simply it, just loved food. I began to understand that it could be a source of income as well. That does tend to take over when your younger and struggling to pay the bills. Now that I’m on the other side of that portion of my life, I see food as a form of communication and a form of giving back. I know lots out there give back with the use of food, I think it’s a huge way of communicating between all types of society. Now, turning the corner of bread and baking. Bread is the key to life in my opinion. I could go in depth all the way to ancient grains, manna from the Bible and many other sources from many other beliefs, but simply put… to take two simple ingredients, water and flour and turn them into something that can sustain and nourish an entire community is actually mind boggling. Bring in two additional ingredients of salt and time, well, be prepared to be mind blown! All that to say this, to have the knowledge, ability, and will to take that and use it to its utmost ability for good, to help others, to communicate with them on whatever level they need at that time, I believe is a true gift. A gift that is there for anyone to take if they have the time, dedication and willingness to learn, fail, and learn again. I believe that gift has been given to me. I call it desire to learn, love and expand my knowledge of bread, and baking as such. Some would call it “getting bitten by the bug” lol.
I started baking loaves as testers of course and some other treats for my neighbors surrounding us. Everyone seems to love it. Some say it reminds them of being in a small French village with their “baker” right down the street. As I honed the craft I opened it up to more folks and the ideas starting flowing in my mind of how to take this thing to a different level. I wanted to help folks, I also started feeling some more feelings as well. When people would come over to grab their loaves, it was not just a hello and goodbye, it was a sense of that older time when folks sat down for even just 2-5mins to chat, truly ask or find out how someone was, and cultivate a real relationship. That’s when the lightbulb clicked on! I am in a business that is literally all about that exact thing!! Relationships, real ones, ones that go beyond just a hey how are ya, or please please send me business or even kitschy catch phrases and such. I want to be able to have a reason to chat with folks, a reason to hear, care , and help with everyday stuff with folks. Bread is that reason for me. It’s me putting my heart into something and sharing it! It gives me a small window to chat with people from all over, folks that I do not speak to or have not seen in a very long time!! I had a young lady stop by the other day for a loaf that I had not seen since high school over 20yrs ago! It was great!
So, I give you The Émeraud Bakery. (Pronounced “Emmy-rod”)As you may or may not know we are opening a sandwich and deli shop in Mt. Juliet in the near future, it’s named Leon’s Famous Deli, after my grandfather. He was my hero, he wrote only in green, but that’s a different essay! Naturally, I only wrote in green and have for many many years now. The deli is in all green writing, from logos to menus etc etc. In doing all of this we discovered that the green color we use is actually called “Emerald Green”. How fitting. What my grandfather did was be a service to others always. He put himself second in any situation, he truly was a diamond in the rough, a jewel actually. You may see where this is going. So, in an effort to keep serving, an effort to keep loving and being that jewel or place where one can come and feel safe, talk about business or work or just something going on in their lives, we have The Émeraud Bakery. I had to add the French flair or spelling of it as a nod to my family’s French Creole roots. My grandfathers mother was a true French farm lady. She landed in Louisiana and never looked back! But she always, as she taught her son, served others first as well!
What are we doing and why you might ask?? I have basically turned my basement into the bakery. It’s humble but an amazing, comfortable space. My hope is that we will continue the baking of loaves of bread for people. We will continue to expand the offerings for different things. The bakery will grow as it’s people grow. We are not looking to be a pastry shop. This is a whole different being. I want to connect with people. I sell, buy and build real estate. I want folks who are considering that in any form or fashion to swing by and have an espresso, some wild cake we have conjured up, and chat about their true needs in that realm. That way we can truly serve them! There is no pressure. Grab a loaf of bread on the way out for you and your family. I want my agents and those that do not work for us to come by and have coffee and talk! I want to learn from them and who knows, they might pick something up from me as well! When one person teaches, two people learn. Heck, I want this place to be a place for ideas and learning. If there’s an agent out there with a client that has an issue, call and swing by, let’s help figure it out. I also want the person who is just down or hurting and needs a few minutes from it all to reach out and come by. Have a coffee, grab some bread and hopefully a better day after it to call and come by. This is a hybrid of many things but I feel it’s something that can work. Now for the business end of it. Lol. How does it work financially?? Ok simply going to have a chalk board (bet you couldn’t guess it’s color) with what we have offered currently on it. I’ll have a line that shows exactly what it cost for me to make it. (Minus labor of course). The next line will show what you could buy it for out in the market. (Retail value) I simply ask that you take your loaf home, enjoy it. If it meets your standards then pay what you think you should for it, I ask that you at least cover costs. If you need it and don’t have the funds, just take it , no questions asked. If you wish to gift it to someone that needs it, then do that for sure! Bless someone with it. We will accept donations as well. Only to put towards cost of goods to continue the mission. If you feel lead to donate to it then do so. I might even keep a running tally of “What’s in the pot” and show it to everyone to be transparent about it.
So if that’s my story, my passion project. I hope this isn’t too rambly and makes sense when you read it. If you are reading it, it’s because you are somebody that I trust, love and want to have an opinion from.
This was the origin story that I wrote four years ago. Before we started out of my home basement. It’s still super relevant. Hope this lays it out well.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This thing has happened so organically. We had so many different things that needed to fall into place for this and it just did ! We have definitely had our ups and downs with the business as any small biz does, but for the most part it’s been so wild how things have just come together to make it work
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Émeraude Bakery ?
We are a sourdough bread bakery. We specialize in all things sourdough from breads to pastries and cookies. We utilize high end high quality ingredients and practice slow food!! We also believe in simplicity. Some of the best food is the most simple. We are known for our OG or original sourdough loaf and all of its variations (every bit g bagel, sesame, brown butter and honey oat, Italian herb and Asiago, and many more) Our chocolate croissants are pretty popular as is our cherry danish and sourdough biscuits.
What were you like growing up?
I was an only child. Was always pretty outgoing. I had a job at age 14 and worked for the Hard Rock Cafe downtown at 15! I convinced the gm to not fire me when he learned my age
Pricing:
- Loaves $10
- Muffins $7
- Danish $8
- Croissants $6
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Emeraudebakery.com
- Instagram: Émeraudebakert
