Community Highlights: Meet Kaylee Brown and Janson Brown of Ruddle’s Bread & Book

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaylee Brown and Janson Brown. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Janson and Kaylee Brown opened Ruddle’s Bread & Book in August 2023. It was the next step in a lifelong journey that had included teaching, news anchors, day trading, and more. All skills and experiences leading up to our eventual dream here in Cleveland, TN.

Our branding is true to our ethos and our Appalachian heritage. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” – if you grew up in Appalachia then you probably heard this saying once or twice. And if you have driven through Appalachia, you may have noticed our love for antique stores. At Ruddle’s, we live that saying and heritage as we have only used locally thrifted items to create the ambiance of our entire store.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been obstacles at every turn! From the major issues of being down to one oven, electrical, and plumbing to the small speed bumps like stocking coffee during civil unrest in Costa Rica, working wild hours for our late-night community events, and just keeping up with the day-to-day!

We were raised doing hard things in challenging situations. We have both had catastrophic medical problems and maintained a healthy mental state through childhood and its topsy-turvy navigation process. Kaylee is a severe dyslexic and yet uses this “disability” to add tremendous wonders to her native creative abilities and design skills. Janson has a heart birth defect that, instead of allowing that controlled negative mindset, he has used it as strength building and growing himself.

We’ve been impressed with Ruddle’s Bread & Book, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ruddle’s Bread & Book was created to reawaken humanity within our community. We deeply longed to create living art – a meeting place for creatives and thinkers that offers the full experience of a third place.

The term “third place” originates from a 1989 book, The Great Good Place, by sociologist Ray Oldenberg. He characterized third places as locations that facilitate social interaction outside of the people you live or work with – a place that foster “public relaxation.”

During our market research of third places – we traveled to third places across the United States. From magical bookshops in Denver, CO, creative bakeries in Trinidad, CA, to community-building coffee shops in Charleston, SC – we discovered that the most successful third places had strong personality-driven branding, products that are made with creativity, and a clear target audience. We are a bakery, coffee shop, and used book store, both supported by and created for the community.

Ruddle’s stands out because of the authenticity of your experience. Real ingredients make syrups and flavors for gourmet lattes and fresh baked goods every morning. No pumps. No preservatives. We pride ourselves on our service inside and the ambiance we have created to solidify a third place for many people.

What changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I believe our industry combination of used goods and fresh baked items (Retail and Food/Beverage) will continue to thrive especially in the areas where goods are locally sourced, grown with truth and morality, and supported in a close-knit community.

Downtown Cleveland is going through the biggest infrastructure change in the last 60 years and we believe Ruddle’s is going to stay a prime location for both locals and tourist to visit and be themselves, for years to come.

Contact Info:

• Website: ruddlesbreadandbook.com
• Instagram: @RuddlesBreadAndBook
• Facebook: Ruddle’s Bread & Book

Image Credits
Matt Preble and Jacie Marie Photography