Petrolia Street Bakery
Petrolia Street BakeryEmily Core is nothing if not adaptable. The 26-year-old took the bold step of quitting university to become a baker and then when the bakery she was working at closed, she decided to open her own. Now she delightedly owns and operates Petrolia Street Bakery on Petrolia Line. Her bakery opened in 2019. "I always baked when I was younger," Emily says. "I went to McMaster University in Hamilton, but I didn’t really enjoy it. I decided then that I really needed to work with my hands, so I dropped out of school and signed up for pastry school. Now I have my own bakery."
Emily worked at a bakery in Sarnia and when it closed, she was left at a crossroads. "I was either going to move to London or Hamilton or I was going to go home and open a bakery because there weren’t any bakeries in Petrolia," Emily says. "I figured I would get in on it before somebody else did. It was definitely a little scary at the start. I didn’t have any business experience, so I was kind of going into it blind. That said, I had a lot of support around me; people who were able to guide me."
Emily says leaving university and going to pastry school was life-altering. "It was remarkable to be at pastry school," Emily says. "I didn’t realize I needed to build something of my own to actually appreciate it. When you work on a paper at school, you write it once and then throw it away. With baking, you are able to share it which is really nice. They get to enjoy it. It is a nice thing to share."
Petrolia Street Bakery is open Tuesday to Saturday and features breads and desserts including brownies, lemon squares, and butter tarts. "I also take custom orders for things like cakes and pies," Emily says. "I am just starting to get into catering weddings which is the direction I want my business to go in." Emily says she is very thankful for the help she received from Lambton County Developmental Services (LCDS). "When I first started I was in a small space in Petrolia and it had been offered to me by the LCDS," Emily says. "They were huge supporters and they are the reason I am here. I did a Facebook page and one of my aunts shared it and it took right off. I couldn’t believe it."
Like so many businesses, Petrolia Street Bakery was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. "It was scary to begin with because I didn’t know if I should stay open or close down," Emily says. "Do I do orders? Technically I am an essential business because I sell bread, so I was able to stay open. It turns out COVID was actually kind to my business. The whole community supported me." Emily is also very thankful for the support she receives from her parents, Beth and Larry Core, and her aunt Susan Clifford who all pitch in to help.
Related Stories
Sweet Lemons
When it comes to bargain hunting, sisters Brooke Giresi and Jerica McLarkey will go the extra mile to find a great deal. "Brooke and I have been huge thrifters our whole lives," Jerica says. "We have gone on a trip — we call it our thrift tour — for each of the past five years." It
New You Professional Hair Design
Mary Ann Vanden Broek wanted to be a hairdresser since she was ten years old. As a kid, she practiced cutting her family's and brother's friends' hair using kitchen scissors. I always loved cutting hair. Eventually, it came down to becoming a hairdresser or a nurse. I didn't want to go to
Lisa Aubin Real Estate Team, EXP Realty of Canada
Lisa Aubin spent the majority of her career working in human resources. She had been a human resource manager at a large local business for many years when downsizing led to a choice between a job in Mississauga or a severance pac...
Hughes Intelligence
Hughes Intelligence Canada, a Private Investigation and Security Services company, was established in 1994 and is locally owned and operated. It was originally a Private Investigation company and when I took ownership in 2007, we added security services, explains owner Barry Bentley. Bentley i
Related Stories
Philly Cheese Jakes
When you meet Jake Cherski, owner of Philly Cheese Jake's, you can feel his passion for his business immediately. He was inspired to start Philly Cheese Jake's by a line in the movie Shawshank Redemption: "Get busy living or get busy dying." After experiencing some personal setbacks, those words p
The Overflow Café
Michele Smeets opened The Overflow Café in February 2017. Formerly The British Shoppe, the name The Overflow Café came to her in a dream. I saw the café filled with people and more lined up out the door. The café was literally overflowing, she explains. Smeets ran the name past her former
Sarnia Sting
Experiencing Sarnia Sting hockey is so much more than a game. It's an experience. It's also a dedicated community partner. Five years ago, Derian Hatcher and David Legwand purchased the Sarnia Sting Hockey Club because they are passionate about junior hockey and the community of Sarnia-Lambton.
Fabien Jagoo & Associates Inc. | The Co-operators
Fabien Jagoo has been a part of Co-operators for over thirty years. He joined the company in 1992 after completing his Bachelor of Commerce at McMaster University. "I had finished my degree and I received a call from a high school friend who said that Co-operators was hiring. I borrowed money from"