We had the good fortune of connecting with James & Lea Himes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James & Lea, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
For us, this is a question that we still struggle with. We have had plenty of obstacles to work around from the beginning. We obviously had no idea what was in store for us in 2020 when we opened our business at the tail end of 2019. Lea (Dietitian) and I (Insurance) continue to work full-time jobs outside of trying to grow this amazingly successful home-based business. This means we are in the kitchen before and after work during the week, and up early on Saturday mornings in preparation for our local farm and art market. We affectionately call ourselves “Team No Sleep” for a reason. There simply are no days off.

The Old Town Farm & Art Market in downtown Wichita, KS is where our business thrives. The platform provided to us there, with the never-ending support from our local community, is the reason that our business is able to keep growing. We have seen so many restaurants close over the past 2 years from Covid-related reasons and that remains to be a reality in our world. Fortunately for us, Wichitans want to see local businesses succeed. The fact that they get up early every Saturday morning to see us and the large array of other talented vendors at the market, inspires Lea and I to keep going.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Everything & the Bagel Bread Co. is a sourdough bread & bagel business contrived by the creative genius of Lea. While we do combine our efforts to make this company successful, we each have our strengths.

Lea is a creative. Her background as a florist and in interior design is on full display when you see how detailed she is with her scoring patterns on the breads, and also by the visual merchandising of our market booth. Her career path led her to become a Registered Dietitian because she was obsessed with the science behind the food. When not in the kitchen, she spends countless hours working on social media content to keep us in the public eye and also comes up with loads of new product ideas.

I have spent the last 15 years working for the top insurance company in the country: State Farm. My focus is on sales and the customer experience. I really find satisfaction in creating relationships with our customers and finding out what they really want out of our product.

As a team, we both have a hand in everything we produce. Her primary focus is on the final production of the breads & pastries, while she calls me the “Bagel Boss” because that’s where my specialty lies. I think we enjoy what we do because we love working together and being around each other. She’s my best friend, and we push each other to grow as individuals. There is no room for complacency in our marriage or our business.

Has this been easy? No way. It’s a struggle to put in full-time hours for two different jobs, while also being parents to a high school student and running a household. Time management is our biggest obstacle, but we constantly look for ways to improve our processes to be able to spend more family time together.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
What we truly love about Wichita is its entrepreneurial and artistic spirit. The first and final Fridays of each month are dedicated to our local artists and small business owners. Our downtown and Delano district areas have some of the coolest shops and hangouts. The Keeper of the Plains is a must-see attraction along the Arkansas River as well. This 44-foot tall steel sculpture of an American Indian is as iconic to our city as the Statue of Liberty is to NYC. It holds a special place in our hearts, as it’s also where Lea and & I were married.

We are also in love with the exceptional food this city produces. The College Hill area of town is where we tend to lean when it comes to finding quality meals. Dempsey’s Burger Pub, Ziggy’s Pizza, & College Hill Deli are just a few places that we frequent for quick weekday bites. If we are in the mood to be fancy, Georges French Bistro is by far our favorite. The ICT is also very diverse. You can find some really fantastic Asian or Mexican food here. A few places that we feel deserve some recognition would be Malaysia Cafe, Little Saigon, and Taqueira El Fogon.

The microbrewery scene has exploded here in recent years. They provide a great vibe with their fun staff and phenomenal beers. Live music and food trucks are pretty common for these spots, so this is where we go to unwind after a long week.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Credit should always be given where it’s due. Luke & Amy Snow, owners of the Old Town Farm & Art Market allowed us to be seen. Since 1991, this market has played an integral part of our community in helping hundreds of local businesses get off the ground. The atmosphere at the market exudes creativity and a feeling of inclusion for all. They have been so supportive of every small business, and they deserve the plaudits for it.

The 316, OUR city, OUR home, OUR people! The residents here are unlike anywhere else. I know that it’s cliche to say, but our people support local with a passion. They show up every weekend, regardless of the weather, and help keep the businesses at the market moving forward. Collaborating with other businesses with new products/ideas/venues is also a running theme in Wichita. We have been so lucky to work with some talented people from businesses like Orie’s Farm Fresh, Hopping Gnome Brewing Company, Central Standard Brewing, and Apollo Fermentations.

Our family has always been very supportive of our business, and we have to give them a massive shoutout as well. They instilled the value of working hard and going after what we want in life. We love them and wouldn’t be where we are without their influence and support.

Website: eatbbreadco.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatb_breadco/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everythingandthebagelbreadco

Other: Email: eatbbreadco@gmail.com

Image Credits
Beck and Roam Photography (the photo by the bonfire only)

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