Our Story
From a Farmers Market
to something far greater
A mother. Two kids. A folding table. A calling. This is the story of how Awaken Bakery came to be — and why everything we make is built on faith, family, and the belief that everyone deserves something truly delicious.
The Calling
It started with a nudge from God
Before Awaken existed, I was working in website design, marketing, and operations — helping small startups grow. I was busy. I was capable. And I was missing something.
God led me to leave that career to come home and homeschool our kids, Wyatt and Layla. My husband Rich was right there beside me — supportive of a decision that changed everything for our family. I didn’t know what was next, but I trusted the calling.
What started as obedience became the soil where Awaken would eventually take root.
Why This Mattered
I know what it’s like to lose your favorite foods
In 2011, I was diagnosed with celiac disease. Suddenly, food wasn’t simple anymore. Birthday parties became complicated. Eating out became stressful. Grabbing a cupcake at a bakery — something most people don’t even think about — wasn’t safe for me.
A decade later in 2021, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Another season of healing. Another reminder that what we put in our bodies matters.
Both diagnoses shaped how I bake — and who I bake for. Every sandwich, every cupcake, every loaf of bread is made with someone in mind who’s just been told “you can’t eat that anymore.” Because I’ve been there. And I want them to know: you don’t have to give up everything you love.
“He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort others with the same comfort we ourselves receive.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Whether you’re newly diagnosed, navigating this for the first time, or just looking for something safe and delicious — we’ve got you.
Late 2020
A folding table at the
Community Farmers Market
In late 2020, I set up a folding table at the Community Farmers Market here in Bowling Green. Wyatt and Layla were right there beside me. We called it Awaken Bakery. We had cupcakes, hope, and not much else.
Every Saturday, women I’d never met would walk up to the booth and stop in their tracks:
“I haven’t had a cupcake in years.”
“My daughter has never had a real birthday cake.”
“You don’t know what this means to me.”
2021 — Growing Roots
Slowly, then all at once
The booth grew. We upgraded to a real bakery case. Our cupcakes started selling out. People started showing up early, hoping their favorite flavor wasn’t gone yet.
Rich helped me however he could — building, hauling, working alongside us when extra hands were needed. The kids found their rhythm too. We were a family business in every sense of the word.
Around this time, God began stirring something bigger. We were outgrowing the booth — and we sensed He was preparing us for a permanent home. Awaken Bakery had served its purpose, but the next chapter needed a new name. Awaken Bakery was born — first at the market, then in our hearts, long before we ever held the keys.
The Journey
How Awaken Came to Be
From a folding table to a downtown bakery — every season had a purpose.
The Diagnosis
Celiac disease changed how I thought about food forever. The seed was planted long before the bakery existed.
Awaken Bakery is Born
A folding table, a few dozen cupcakes, and the kids by my side at the Community Farmers Market.
Becoming Awaken Bakery
An upgraded booth, a real bakery case, and a name change. God was preparing us for a bigger space — and we started showing up as Awaken Bakery before we ever opened the doors.
Our First Storefront
We got the keys. After two years at the Community Farmers Market, Awaken Bakery officially opened its first downtown location.
A Bigger Home
We moved a few doors down to our current downtown spot — bigger, brighter, and with parking right out front.
Best of Bowling Green
Voted Best of Bowling Green — a love letter from the community we’ve been honored to serve.
September 1, 2022
The day we got the keys
The market season had given us everything we needed: a customer base, a community, and the confidence that this wasn’t just a hobby anymore. It was time for a permanent home.
Walking into our own space for the first time was surreal. Two years earlier, it was just me and the kids at a folding table. Now we were standing in our own bakery — keys in hand, ready to open the doors.
We weren’t just opening a bakery. We were waking people up to the idea that gluten free could be good. Truly good. Not “good for gluten free.” Just good. Period. And maybe, just maybe, we were waking them up to something deeper too: that they’re seen, they’re cared for, and they belong here.
A bigger home, just down the street
Just over a year after opening, we’d already outgrown our first space. In December 2023, we moved a few doors down — a bigger kitchen, a brighter dining room, and parking right out front.
Rich poured countless hours into making this space ours — building, fixing, problem-solving alongside us right up until opening day. It was a family build, just like the booth had been three years before.
Awaken was no longer just a bakery. It was becoming a gathering place. A safe table. A reminder that some of the best things in life come from saying yes to the next step, even when you can’t see the whole staircase.
You’re always welcome at our table.
What We Stand For
More Than a Bakery
Awaken was built on three things — and they shape every loaf, every cupcake, every conversation across the counter.
Faith
Every step of this journey has been led by God. We bake as worship. We serve as ministry. We trust the One who multiplied loaves long before us.
Family
This is a family-run bakery in every sense. Our kids grew up at this booth. Our customers became our friends. You’re not just walking into a shop — you’re walking into our home.
Purpose
We believe everyone deserves to enjoy real food without fear — especially those who’ve been told they can’t. That belief drives every choice we make.
Baking with Purpose
A portion of every order supports community work fighting for high-risk and exploited youth across Kentucky. When you buy from Awaken, you’re not just buying a cupcake — you’re buying into a mission.
What’s Next
The story is still being written
Awaken started with a nudge from God, a folding table, and a family who said yes to the next step. Five years later, it’s a downtown bakery, a community gathering place, and a daily reminder that small obediences can grow into something far greater than you could plan.
I don’t know exactly what’s next. But I know the One who does. And I know that as long as people keep walking through our doors looking for relief, belonging, or just a really good cupcake — we’ll keep showing up to bake.
Thank you for being part of this story.
— Tiana
Come Be Part of It
Whether it’s your first visit or your hundredth, there’s always a seat at our table.