By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
From a small dream to 20 years of sweet success, Augustine's Bakery has baked its way into the hearts and stomachs of Hays.
The bakery, 1305 Main St., celebrated 20 years on Dec. 1, giving gratitude to their customers and surrounding communities for their life-changing support.
The local business began in 2003. Chad and Holly Augustine founded it, as Holly transitioned from social work and Chad's exit from another bakery after it closed.
"We wouldn't be here if everybody didn't patronize us," Holly said. "I do think we have some of the best customers."
Holly said it took several years to build a customer base, during which they navigated challenges such as balancing work with raising three children and weathering recessions.
"Everybody says that you should be OK if you can survive the first five to seven years. By then, you've already made the majority of the mistakes that you're going to make and figure out what's best for business," she said.
After the business Chad worked at was sold, customers began reaching out to him for baked goods, inspiring the idea for Augustine's Bakery.
"I decided to go back to school, and everybody started calling," Chad said. "They knew I worked there and asked us to make cakes and cookies. A couple of months later, we found this building."
While Holly continued her previous job, Chad focused on getting the bakery ready with the help of family members.
Holly helped in the bakery after finishing her full-time shift but eventually left her position to fully support Chad, who had been running the shop alone.
"We decided this wasn't going to work, and if this was what we really wanted, we needed to go 100%," Holly said.
The pair worked tirelessly, often dividing responsibilities between baking, decorating and engaging with customers at the front counter.
Augustine's Bakery showed resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, staying open while adapting to the challenges.
The bakery closed its lobby for dine-in seating but stayed open for walk-in customers and introduced a temporary delivery service to meet customer needs and stability.
"We did not struggle during COVID because we didn't allow it to happen to us," Holly said.
Although demand for birthday cakes and other large-order items declined during the pandemic, strong community support kept the bakery afloat.
Nowadays, Chad will likely greet customers at the counter while Holly decorates cakes and other baked goods in the back.
"Customers do get confused when I'm up here. They're like, 'Where's Chad?'" Holly said.
The bakery’s shelves are typically filled with breakfast rolls, pastries, burritos, cookies, brownies, cupcakes and cakes, though these items tend to sell out quickly.
"If you want something, you should probably call, and then we'll pull it right off the shelf, and you can come in," Holly said.
Because custom cakes and cookies are personalized, they must be ordered in advance, either by phone or through Facebook messages.
Augustine’s Bakery caters to events like weddings, business meeting meals, special occasions and holidays.
Their three daughters helped in the bakery when they were younger and have since pursued careers in radiology and law.
Chad and Holly said they run the bakery seven days a week, dedicating their closed days to preparing for the week ahead.
"We never work less than a 12-hour day. We're on our feet from 6 a.m. till 10 p.m. some days. It takes a lot to do this," Holly said.
In 20 years, the only times both owners were gone from the bakery were for their daughters' graduations.
Recognizing the physical and mental demands, the pair admitted another 20 years of running the bakery is unlikely, but they remain dedicated to their work.
Chad said that since 2003, every business on the bakery's block has changed with one exception.
"Every business is different except us, which shows you how hard it is to keep a business going for 20 years," he said.
Augustine’s Bakery has earned several achievements, such as being voted Hays Reader’s Choice Best Bakery from 2007 to 2020 and being featured multiple times in Taste of Home Magazine as the Best Bakery in Kansas.
Augustine's Bakery is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturdays. It is closed on Christmas Eve.
You can visit their website here and follow them on Facebook.
