Find Love in Every Plate (And Croissant!) at Nadia’s French Bakery

I began cooking during COVID, treating my family and friends to handmade French pastries. When I first told my aunt in France what I was doing, she was skeptical. “You like being in an office,” she’d say. I don’t think she thought it would go well for me.

But I had graduated with an accounting degree and couldn’t find a job doing that so I just started baking and continued baking as I looked for accounting opportunities. Eventually, I heard about some classes at the Evelyn K. Davis Center (EKDC) in Downtown Des Moines (DSM) that could help me create my own small business with my baking, I registered for classes and learned how to register my business. Eventually, I was hired part-time with EKDC, and they were very flexible with me to help me start my business, Nadia’s French Bakery. This was back in 2022.

Growing Nadia’s French Bakery at the Downtown Farmers’ Market

While at EKDC, a couple came in to talk to me about bringing items to the Downtown Farmers’ Market. They wanted 400! I wasn’t sure about participating because of the amount needed, and I could only bake so many items in my own oven at a time. That was when they showed me a nearby church kitchen that I could use. It had everything I’d need to make the larger number of croissants. I made a little less than 400 and, in an hour and a half at The Market, I sold out. For our next Market visit, we doubled the amount and sold out in the same amount of time. In 2023, we did The Market again and the people in the kitchen eventually gave me a key and told me I could use the kitchen any time.

I was looking for an accounting job, but baking was my destiny. When I told my aunt back in France, she couldn’t believe it, but was very happy for me.

Nadia’s French Bakery now has a storefront, and it has changed a lot for the bakery. Before, I’d need to run to the store, then the church to the equipment and there was a lot of driving around, but now I go straight from my house to the bakery, and everything is here. Since I need to be at the store now, I send my employee to The Market so we can sell at both places.

For anyone wanting to start a business who might be scared to try, there are a lot of resources out there. In life, you must wake up and ask for help. If they can’t help you, they might say go see this person, and maybe that is the person who can help you. The key is that people aren’t going to come to you. You need to go out, be motivated and ask for what you need. Go find it always.

Nadia’s French Bakery Menu

From pastries to sandwiches to desserts, Nadia’s French Bakery has a lot to offer. In the bakery, check out Quiche Lorraine. Pick up French Country Bread, Baguettes or Vienna Bread. Try a mouthwatering Almond Croissant or Nadia’s Chocolatine. For lunch, a Club Sandwich might hit the spot. You won’t be disappointed by the Nadia’s French Bakery menu.

Learn more at nadiasfrenchbakery.com.

The Greater Des Moines Partnership celebrates the Greater Des Moines (DSM) entrepreneur community and helps small businesses succeed with one-of-a-kind resources and opportunities for networking. Find out how other entrepreneurs have found success by reading their stories and attending local small business events in the region.