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The holiday season is a reminder to spread love and generosity to one another whenever we can. There’s one place that exemplifies the meaning of giving. A place that feeds the soul of their community by pouring love into their products, words and actions.
That place is LuAnn’s Bakery & Cafe.
Located at 238 Somers Rd. in Ellington, LuAnn’s Bakery & Cafe specializes in cupcakes, cakes, pies, cookies, breakfast, lunch, take out and catering. All their items are made from scratch using fresh, quality ingredients with recipes passed down from family members and friends.
For Christmas and throughout the month of December, they make many pies and cinnamon rolls, along with lots of cookie trays that come in a variety of holiday flavors.
Owner Josh Virkler said, “Christmas cookies are definitely our most popular, but for pies, an American classic, Apple Pie, is always the biggest seller. But our Coconut Cream, Chocolate Cream are also super popular and last year we made a Sugar Cookie Cream Pie for the first time that was super popular and absolutely delicious.”
Virkler’s mom’s cousin, LuAnn Hoffman, started the bakery in 1980 in her home while raising her children. She began going to the farmer’s market in the early 2000s to grow her business in the community. Hoffman had success in baking for friends and family, so taking her goods to the market was a great way to expand her presence in the community.
When Virkler started working with Hoffman parttime in 2015, about 15 people were working out of her house. Virkler made the decision to join full-time with the intent that eventually he would buy the business. He purchased the business in 2017 when they moved it to a bakery and cafe and opened their first brickand- mortar location at 238 Somers Rd., continuing the legacy of Hoffman’s baking, but also adding the cafe aspect serving breakfast, lunch and coffee.
In 2020, they opened a second location, LuAnn’s Coffee and Good Eats Drive Thru on West Road in Ellington, connected to the Big Y Express, and in 2022, opened LuAnn’s Bakery Hub production facility at 420 Somers Rd.
“The best part is being in the community,” said Virkler. “The vision was to have a bakery and cafe and make it part of the community, but I don’t think I ever envisioned how much of a part of the community it could be and would be. It’s become more of a staple than I ever could have imagined.”
South Windsor resident Jennifer Godere loves Lu- Ann’s for their variety, their delicious, flavored coffee and amazing flavor of cupcakes.
“Their quiche is also extremely tasty, and everything is so good there,” shared Godere. “Normally, I go early in the morning for a flavored coffee and some quiche for breakfast. For the holidays, I usually bring a six pack of their cupcakes to at least one party or two.”
Godere also mentioned that LuAnn’s has brought jobs to the community, as they hire high schoolers and college students and are flexible around their schedules.
“It really seems like a great place for young people to work,” Godere said. “And everyone they’ve hired, and the owner are just so friendly. You end up on a first name basis. But what I appreciate the most is how they give back with sock collections and fundraisers. They do a ‘Donation Creation’ latte every month. And the money collected from those goes to a charitable need. They have big hearts at LuAnn’s.”
LuAnn’s Bakery & Cafe’s goal is to continue feeding the soul of the community by pouring love into their products, words and actions. Whatever they do in the future, Virkler wants to make sure that it goes back to that purpose.
“Being a part of the community and being a place that people come to for a bright spot in their day is my greatest joy,” shared Virkler. “I love making people happy through food.”
LUANN’S BAKERY & CAFE IS LOCATED AT 238 SOMERS RD. IN ELLINGTON. OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 8 A.M. TO 2 P.M. AT LUANN’S COFFEE AND GOOD EATS DRIVE THRU, HOURS ARE MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, 6 A.M. TO 6 P.M.
VISIT LUANN’S ONLINE AT LUANNSBAKERY.COM, ON INSTAGRAM @LUANNS_BAKERY AND ON FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK.COM/LUANNSBAKERY.