BKRY is a newly opened business on Caversham highstreet, a pink-interiored, cosy space.
Jo Deacon is at the heart of this business, in the bustling bakery upstairs where the whirring of machines and hum of voices can be heard, churning out delicious treats such as cookie croissants, macarons and an abundance of different brownies.
Deacon started baking aged 21 with no previous experience, just for the joy of making and decorating cakes. At the time she was at university, studying to be a primary school teacher. She later started making cakes on the side of her teaching profession and ended up “thinking more about cakes than teaching.”
When she turned this side hustle into a home bakery business, after taking an evening course to learn to become a pastry chef, she was juggling three kids as well as running every aspect of the business herself.
From the very start of her baking endeavours, Deacon knew she wanted her own cake shop. She was approached about a year ago about the unit on Caversham highstreet and, so far, having a bakery that isn’t in her home is a lot easier. While she works long hours, she has a team and one can tell by the warm, friendly atmosphere of the bakery, that teamwork and collaboration is an essential part of the business.
Bringing her teaching experience into her passion for baking, Deacon has just finished doing up the space above the cake shop to set up as an academy, “That's the whole core value of BKRY, education and creativity and community”.
She aims to turn this space into a community hub, allowing other people in the community to train in and use it.
One thing that Deacon wouldn’t let herself be limited by was money, acknowledging that it is something that can hold a lot of people back from taking the leap and chasing their dream, she was determined that she would find a way to raise the funds. Now that her brand and product have been developed, she is looking at selling at local events and expanding further from here. “Sky’s the limit” says Deacon brightly.
The community of Caversham has been very welcoming, and BKRY regularly sells out of their delicious sweet treats. Deacon’s business is one that she has truly built from the ground up. “It's a story that I really do want to get across to people, especially young people.”
