BELLE FOURCHE—The Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the expansion of Anke’s Bakery Market and Bistro. The community turned out to support the business and explore the new space on the morning of Sept. 25.
Anke’s Bakery is the home of German baked goods, including breads and pastries. “We want to thank her for expanding and adding a sit-down area. She’s been thinking about it, dreaming about it for about five years, and it’s finally come to life,” said Michaela Horn, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. “So thank you for being here and celebrating with her—we have lots of businesses here—it’s great to see the business community supporting each other.”
And with that, everyone filed out to the front of the business to take part in the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon. Anke Townsdin, owner of Anke’s Bakery, cut the ribbon to cheers and support from the crowd.
The business expanded to take over the area that the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce used to occupy. The office space has been transformed into a fresh, inviting little bistro with tables and chairs and areas to sit and enjoy fresh-baked goodies. “It’s more bistro, I kind of want to go in the direction of how you do it in Europe… you have a coffee place where you can eat your pastries and drink your coffee, and you sit down and enjoy it and slow down, and then you go about your day,” explained Townsdin. “I don’t want to be a restaurant, it’s more of a bistro—a German version or a European version of a bistro—because here bistros are a restaurant, and that’s not what we are—it’s not full service.”
The new expanded sit-down area is meant to be a place where people can meet friends and take time to breathe. “Since everybody is going fast, fast, fast… I said, no, we’re going the other way, we’re going to be the slow one where you have a real cup, not the paper cups, where you sit down, mingle, and meet friends,” shared Townsdin. “It’s so fun when you watch people sitting at the tables and then cross interaction and making friends, and everybody knows everybody, and it’s just fun to watch—even with the travelers, they are incorporated immediately into conversations and it’s really fun!”
Having everyone that comes in feel at home and enjoy their time at the bistro is an important part of the eatery. “One thing I enjoy is when I come in to talk and just check in, is that you can hear laughter, but then also you hear different languages too—it naturally just attracts, and so that’s really cool,” shared Horn. “That’s really what I was aiming for, and it’s really coming to life, and it’s really nice,” added Townsdin.
The expanded area is designed to be a sit-down bistro where you can expect food served on real plates and not a basket with a paper lining, but it is so much more than that. The bistro also offers breakfast sandwiches and paninis, and in the market you can find a variety of teas, crackers, pasta, sauces and fresh produce. “So the main thing you’re going to find is the organic artisan breads and pastries, that’s the main focus and it always has been, always will be,” said Townsdin. “I don’t want to have any waste, so everything I’m ordering is something I will use in the back… if the beets are not going well, then we pickle them; if the tomatoes are not gone in time, then we make tomato sauce out of it. So everything will be used and turned into another product that we will sell here.”
The business owner is creating a food program with zero or low waste, of sorts. “It’s not really my goal, but that’s…how I grew up, and that’s how my mother taught me everything, you know—so that’s just in my DNA, I guess.”
The holiday season is coming up fast and Townsdin is looking forward to all the Christmas baking, including gingerbread.
Anke’s Bakery Market and Bistro currently has four employees but is looking to hire at least three more. “I wanted to make [a special] this week, but we are so understaffed, I didn’t have the time. So we’re also hiring,” said Townsdin.
If you haven’t had a chance to stop in and explore the newly expanded Anke’s Bakery Market and Bistro, there is now even more reason to stop by, sit down and try some of the fresh, healthy organic foods and even take some home with you. The business is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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