Community cornerstone celebrates milestone
FORT FAIRFIELD — A whopping 80 percent of all businesses started in the U.S. fail in the first 18 months, according to a study commissioned by Bloomberg.
Photo courtesy of Tim Goff
Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce
A one-year anniversary celebration was held recently at Sister’s Bakery and Coffee Shoppe in downtown Fort Fairfield.Taking part in the festivities were, from left: Yancy LaPointe, Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce; Charlie Powers; Carla Hayes, co-owner; Muriel LaPointe, matriarch; Narda Guiou, co-owner; Lydia Guiou; Heidi James, co-owner; and Rylee Powers.
While that statistic might deter any would-be entrepreneur from putting their money where their mouth is, three sisters in central Aroostook County took a leap of faith in 2014, much to the good fortune of their loyal customer base who return — some daily — to Sister’s Bakery and Coffee Shoppe looking for fulfillment in the form of baked goods, sandwiches and soups all made from scratch.
“It started as a dream,” explained Narda Guiou. “I’ve always wanted a bakery because I’ve always loved to bake.”
“And I always dreamt of owning my own business and becoming an entrepreneur,” added Heidi James. She says they talked about the concept for years and are glad they finally took their leap of faith.
Sisters Narda Guiou, Heidi James and Carla Hayes had no restaurant experience, but plenty of passion for food from years pleasing their own families with sumptuous meals and delicious desserts.
The women’s mother, Muriel LaPointe, inspired them with her own culinary wizardry and challenged the sisters to make their dream a reality.
Now, each morning, these sisters rise well before the sun to whip up delectable desserts and homemade favorites to satisfy their hungry patrons.
Each sister brings their own unique skill set to the table.
Narda does the bulk of the baking.
Heidi handles cooked-to-order sandwiches — including a wide variety of grilled panini sandwiches.
Oldest sister Carla is a guiding force and helps out by managing the finances and overseeing many of the functions that help keep the kitchen cooking.
To celebrate their success, the sisters invited their extended family — their customers, new and old — to pop by the bakery on Friday, March 20, to enjoy free coffee and tasty treats to help mark their one-year anniversary in business.
Stop by 259 Main St. to check out the many delectable treats available.
