10/18/2026
A little heartfelt announcement from me to you all. ❤️
After a lot of thinking, countless hours of hard work, and some difficult conversations with myself, I’ve finally made a decision about the future of Petra Bakery.
When I first started this little business, one of the biggest reasons I chose to step away from college and the idea of a regular 9–5 job was because I wanted something different for my family. I wanted to be present for my kids. I wanted to watch them grow, spend more time with them, and build something I loved without sacrificing those precious moments.
And somewhere along the way, as Petra Bakery started growing into something I never imagined, I slowly started losing sight of the reason I started in the first place.
Between school, running the stand, taking preorders, attending events, baking late into the night, and trying to figure out how much to make every weekend, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed.
Some weekends I bake too much and end up with leftovers. Other weekends I don’t bake enough, and I spend the rest of my weekend trying to make more for everyone who missed out. And as much as I love making people happy, I’ve realized that I’ve been giving so much of myself to this business that sometimes there’s barely anything left for me or my family.
And that honestly breaks my heart a little, because my family is the reason I started all of this.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I LOVE my little stand. I love seeing your faces every weekend, hearing your stories, watching you discover new favorites, and seeing how much Petra Bakery has grown because of you. I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything.
But I’ve also learned that growing a business doesn’t always mean doing more. Sometimes it means slowing down, getting organized, and finding a healthier way to keep doing what you love.
So, with that being said, I’ve decided to open our self-serve honor-system stand every other weekend instead of every weekend. One weekend open, one weekend closed.
But don’t worry! That does NOT mean you can only get your favorite goodies twice a month!
I’m also excited to introduce our new Hotplate ordering website! This will make ordering so much easier for both you and me.
Here’s how it will work:
* Every Saturday morning: A new weekly preorder menu opens.
* Every Wednesday night: Preorders close.
* Every Friday, 11 AM–6 PM: Your freshly baked goodies will be ready for pickup!
This way, you can still enjoy your favorite sourdough goodies every single week, and I’ll know exactly how much to prepare instead of constantly guessing, overbaking, or running out.
I’ll share the new ordering website right here so everyone can easily place their orders.
I know changes aren’t always easy, especially when so many of you have made visiting my little stand part of your weekend routine. And believe me, making this decision wasn’t easy for me either.
But I want Petra Bakery to be something I can continue loving for years, not something that leaves me too exhausted to enjoy the life I worked so hard to create.
I don’t want to stop growing. I just want to grow in a way that allows me to be the mom, the person, and the baker I want to be.
I truly hope you understand and continue supporting this little dream of mine as we enter a new chapter.
And please, tell me what you think in the comments. I genuinely want to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and feelings about this change.
Thank you for loving Petra Bakery, for believing in me, and for giving me the courage to make decisions that are best for both my family and my business.
With so much love and gratitude,
Dana ❤️
Petra Bakery
Petra Bakery is a home-based artisan bakery run by a mother and a college student, specializing in naturally fermented sourdough and handcrafted baked goods. Inspired by Middle Eastern flavors and baked in small batches with love.
