A line of eager customers packed into the newly opened Downtime Bakery in the heart of Mt. Airy on Dec. 5 as owners Dayna Evans, a former editor at Eater Philly, and Sam Carmichael prepared to cut the ribbon on their first brick-and-mortar location.

The artisanal bakery, offering a vegetarian selection of naturally leavened breads, bagels, sandwiches and pastries, marks a milestone for the couple, who signed a lease on the former insurance office at 6624 Germantown Ave. in November 2023 and have since transformed it into a warm and welcoming space. 

Donning a comically large pair of scissors, the couple inaugurated their bakery as customers quickly lined up for their baked goods. The couple’s chosen location sits in a busy section of Germantown Avenue, with Adelie Coffee House, Zsa’s Ice Cream, Pax Flora Goods and Grocery Outlet all nearby. 

"We're thrilled at their arrival," Mt. Airy Business Improvement District Executive Director Janis Risch told the Local. "That's a rapidly developing section of the commercial corridor, and they're going to be a great new addition."

From home kitchen to Paris and back

The bakery represents the culmination of Evans' baking journey, which began in New York City. 

"When we were living in New York seven or eight years ago, I learned how to make bread and have pretty much been on the trajectory to opening the bakery ever since we moved back to Philly," Evans said. "My family is from Delco originally, and when we moved back during the pandemic, we started this pop-up where we sold from our house."

While in New York, Evans launched Permanent Bake Sale, which sold sourdough bread to raise money for nonprofit organizations, including World Central Kitchen. "It was a way of learning how to make bread, and at the same time giving away all the money that I was making, because I never felt comfortable taking the money," she explained.

In 2019 they got married, and the couple seized an opportunity to move to Paris, using Evans' British citizenship before Brexit took effect. There, she deepened her study of baking. 

Though they had planned a longer stay, the pandemic altered their plans, ultimately leading them to Mt. Airy – where they ran the bakery out of their home. 

"I'm originally from Vermont and my really good family friend lives in Mt. Airy, so when we wanted to move to Philly, we knew of Mt. Airy and the Wissahickon,”  Carmichael said. "I thought it was just going to be like the most Vermont-like city I could think of. So that was a nice place to land, with all the nature, especially during the pandemic."

Community partnership

As their home bakery gained popularity, the Mt. Airy Community Development Corporation (CDC) approached the couple with an offer for commercial space.

"We started thinking more seriously about (renting a space) ever since, and they've been just great people to work with," Evans said. "They organize a lot of events that I think are good for the corridor that we're part of."

The partnership with the CDC proved crucial. Other restaurant owners had warned them about choosing landlords carefully, Carmichael explained, because rents that are too ambitious can drive a new company out of business. 

"In our case, the fact that the CDC is a nonprofit, and their whole goal is to help businesses succeed in Mt. Airy, is kind of magical," he added. "So it's nice to work with them for that very reason. I think there's a lot of trust there."

Overcoming challenges

Converting the former insurance office into a bakery presented significant challenges. The space required extensive renovations, from replacing the water heater to adding basement supports for the weight of commercial ovens. These modifications extended their timeline past their initial Summer 2024 opening goal.

"It's been just an emotional roller coaster," Evans said. "Truly, it's my life's passion. It's the thing I really feel is my vocation. It's the thing I turn to every day, and I feel so gratified and fulfilled, knowing that the things that I am making and that my staff is working so hard every single day to produce, people are responding to."

At Thursday's ribbon cutting, Mt. Airy CDC Executive Director Philip Dawson said he was proud to be able to offer the space at a reasonable price. 

"This is at the core of what we do and shows how community-based nonprofits can make a positive difference in the growth of their neighborhoods,” he said. “I couldn't be more encouraged about the prospects for the bakery's success, as we don't always see brand new businesses with the level of demand and loyal customers that we've seen with Downtime."

Looking forward

While bread remains their primary focus, Evans emphasized that the business is still evolving, with new menu additions and changes expected. The bakery drew large crowds throughout its opening weekend, a response that left Evans emotional. "I can't even describe how fulfilling that feels," she said.

For Carmichael, the connection to the community remains central to their mission. "I'm not there all day, every day, but I just love to meet people and hear their stories and get to know what the community is looking for and what they hope to see," he said. "I just hope that people feel comfortable to come up and say hi. I think this whole project has brought us such a deep connection to the neighborhood."

Tommy Tucker can be reached at Tommy@ChestnutHillLocal.com