The Plum Bun Bakery, Ely

Anyone who grows up in a small-business mecca like Ely, Minnesota is bound to have a bit of a zest for entrepreneurship, and Elizabeth Serson is no exception.  A native of Ely, Liz left the area in the late 1990s to attend culinary school in Portland, Oregon.  After graduating, Liz returned to her hometown of Ely with her husband, Thom Chavarria.  With assistance from the Northeast Entrepreneur Fund, they started the Plum Bun Bakery.

The Plum Bun Bakery is a wholesale business that operates right out of Liz and Thom’s home.  They specialize in a variety of breads and rolls, and their product is distributed to a number of Ely restaurants and other clients.  The Plum Bun also does wedding cakes and other orders for special occasions.

For Liz and Thom, business ownership has been highly rewarding, but also a lot of hard work.  “We’re always busy,” says Liz.  “We don’t have as much personal time as we used to, but we enjoy it.  It’s satisfying to look around at the end of the day and see all the work we’ve done.” 

Though the Plum Bun Bakery is keeping plenty busy with its wholesale business, Liz and Thom have definitely not ruled out the idea of adding a storefront bakery with donuts and pastries.  “We look forward to opening our doors downtown someday,” says Liz. 

Liz’s words of advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs?  “Don’t be afraid to try!”  She also stresses the importance of planning ahead when going into business for the first time.  “You need to be able to see it all on paper before you move forward.  You can’t just jump in and start—we did a lot of research first.  It’s working for us!”