Meet Dylah Ray | Owner, The Botanical Bakery of Denver

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dylah Ray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dylah, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I previously was on a career path that I often felt was meaningful, but in the corporate and political world, I wasn’t afforded the same creative freedom that I have now. I realized that for me, and for most people I believe, some form of creative expression isn’t just a luxury, but a necessity for living a life that values growth, reflection, and community.

The pandemic, which coincided at a major time of career change for me, led to a lot of isolation and monotony during the periods of shut down. I think some of the greatest creative ideas and breakthroughs can come at times like this when we are forced to be with ourselves, shut out from outside distractions, and allow our inner most thoughts and needs rise to the surface. It was also a time that reinforced the importance of community and taking care of ourselves and each other.

With The Botanical Baker of Denver, I’ve tried to create a place that not only allows me to have creative agency in my own career, but create the kind of environment that allows others to foster creativity and growth. We highlight and promote women retailers and artists, and host open mic nights for poetry and music on a monthly basis. It’s my hope that the space becomes like a little incubator where people can come to, even briefly, take a pause from the distractions and demands of life, enjoy a beautiful baked good and tea, and feel inspired to explore their own creative potential.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The Botanical Bakery of Denver opened in late 2022 to provide a community gathering place for people to come take a pause from their hectic lives, enjoy a beautiful pastry in a relaxing environment and connect with others. Just as important as our baked goods, we offer workshops, open mic nights, and events that we hope inspire creativity and connection. Our signature items are our lavender shortbread pansy cookies and our intricately latticed and decorated floral pies, and we love visiting with customers while they enjoy their treats and browse our book collection and shop.

My career has taken some winding paths, but I’ve always tried to center community building at the heart of what I do. I got to do a lot of that working at The United Nations, some non-profits, and on political campaigns. Somewhere along the way though, I got lost in both a corporate job and marriage that were deeply unsatisfying, and I lost my way for a bit. It took a global pandemic for me to look around, ground myself again in what mattered the most to me, and start fresh. During the pandemic, I kicked my longtime passion of baking up a notch, and began to weave in my love for nature and gardening into my kitchen experiments. Being forced to take this time to pause and reflect made me realize a lot of what I had been missing: slow meals with loved ones, long-talks over dessert, and taking the time to stop to enjoy nature and appreciate life’s beauty.

Being a single-mom and trying to open a business has been a struggle at times. I want to be operating at 100% in the business world, and 100% as a mom, and sometimes it’s been tough to accept that I might not be able to simultaneously ace both in a given week. That being said, we’ve created an incredibly intentional environment in the bakery, and I could not ask for better staff or working relationships that have enabled me to bring my whole self to this effort and feel fulfilled and motivated at home and at work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For drinks, I love Lady Jane and Room for Milly. Both have the most perfect aesthetic, delicious cocktails, and great people.

If you’re going up to the mountains, there is a little gem of a coffee shop that I’m obsessed with in the tiny town of Silver Plume. Any trip to the mountains needs a stop on the way up or down to Plume Coffee Bar.

I also am a big fan of the Denver Art Museum, and would recommend checking out their events in addition to the exhibits.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m extraordinarily grateful that I had the opportunity to open up my first brick and mortar inside Birdsall & Co, a longstanding local garden boutique that is co-owned by my best friend and her mother. Not only do I get to go to work every day with my best friend in a plant store/bakery (total dream job!), but Morgan and Annie are incredible businesswomen who’ve been able to make the transition into small businesses ownership a whole lot easier. Having role models and a support system is so important in getting started, and I’m very thankful for their guidance and hope to be able to help other women getting started in business in the same way someday.

Website: https://www.botanicalbakeryofdenver.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebotanicalbakeryofdenver/?hl=en