Meet Devonna Banks of Butter Bakery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Devonna Banks.

Hi Devonna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Almost five years ago, I started baking professionally for a friend’s cafe and after a few months, I realized it was picking up momentum. It was then I knew that I needed to legitimize my business and so I did. I’ve always had a thing for the kitchen but when I saw how much people enjoyed what I was baking, it made me more excited to do it. My grandmother and the women in my family inspire me to be great. And growing up, they all had some kind of Magic and I wanted it too. We were all raised by my grandmother and she was by far the best cook and baker (to me). I needed to match her level of intensity and from there, Butter Bakery was born.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There has certainly been some challenges for me. Some days I wanted to throw in the towel. But there would always be an incredible human (customer) that would come along and quietly remind me that I’m living my purpose. I think my biggest hurdle is not having a guide to navigate the journey and sometimes it’s hard to do it all alone. People don’t see the back end; they just want what they want and I have to produce. My greatest obstacle though is getting a building to expand my empire. I’m doing a lot of volumes and I’ve thankfully survived the worst time in life for all of us. I need to spread my wings and it’s not easy if you don’t have landlords that will give you a chance.

We’ve been impressed with Butter Bakery, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What I’m trying to provide is a true taste of home. There is nothing like being comforted by my grandma and having her homemade cookies/cakes/cheesecake (my favorite) while sitting down in the kitchen and just chatting/laughing with her. Grandma makes it all better. I feel like we experience so much of the rat wheel living that we forget to truly live. So I bring that back with things like Crownies (Chocolate Chip brownie hybrid cookie), buttery pound cake, triple berry bars and chewy southern praline Blondies. I am most proud of being able to reach people in their hearts. It’s very important to me to deliver an incredible sweet treat. But more than that, I love the connection I’m able to create for people by doing something kind and unexpected. Being a good baker, I have found myself in many different arenas but in the hearts/homes of people is my most treasured space.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
This whole journey is a risk to me!! I didn’t have a lot of money to begin this at all. I literally started with 5lb bags of flour and sugar and packs of butter from the grocery store. It quickly evolved into 25lb bags every week. The biggest risk I’m looking forward to taking is giving up what I’ve been saving in order to have a space for my business. I don’t think that it’s not going to work ever. I just focus on how I’m going to make it a game-changer for me and my family. Honestly, every morning that I’m fortunate enough to live, I put it all on the line daily. I would rather try and fail than to sit in the sideline wishing!!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.butterbakery.life
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/_butterbakery

Image Credits:
Josh Fogel