Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Acosta.
Hi Michele, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be the owner of a Cuban Bakery. My husband’s (Andy) father started up a Cuban bakery back in the early 2000s in West Kendall. When we started dating, our schedules wouldn’t really sync up much. I’ve been a teacher for the last ten years so I would be alone most weekends and holidays because in the bakery life, these times are the money makers. I began to go in on Sundays to help out and spend time with him, and secretly growing to love this bakery life. Fast forward three years, after having our first son in July, my husband went to our local bakery, Sunset Bakery, to pick up some things for two very tired new parents. He came home telling me, “Mich, if there was some way to be able to purchase this bakery, I would do it in a heartbeat. It has such a great base of clientele and so much potential.” We continued on with our day, and that night, my dad had come over to visit the baby. The conversation earlier kept him thinking all day and he began a search for bakeries that were for sale. All of a sudden, he runs downstairs with the biggest smile on his face and says, “Sunset Bakery is for sale!”. In this exact moment, all I could think of was the phrase that my mom always told me “Lo que es para ti, nadie te lo quita”. The events of that day were a sign that this place was meant for us. November 1, 2017, was our official first day at Sunset Bakery. With the help of our very large tribe, hard work, and perseverance we got through what seemed like to us, was the craziest holiday season ever. Now going into our fifth holiday season, I can tell you that those three things continue to be the base of our success with Sunset Bakery. So much so that this past year, we were able to buy my father in law’s bakery, Cakeland Bakery.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It most definitely has not been a smooth road. One we laugh about now that was so minuscule, I remember our first day as owners, our water got shut off because of an error with the transferring accounts from the previous owners to us. What bakery can function without water?? Luckily, after a few hours, cafecitos were being enjoyed again. Like I had mentioned, I am a teacher, so working full time as a teacher and then trying to help my husband with the bakery was definitely a struggle.
Let’s not forget the pandemic. When things started to get scary, schools shut down, and things started to close their doors, we made the decision to close the bakery for a week. A week turned into two weeks, and at the end of it, we closed for a full month. We had also found out I was pregnant with our second son in mid-February. Andy, as well as our family didn’t want me going in at all to help. When I mentioned that have a very large tribe has attributed to our success, I meant that. My mom stepped in and handled all of my behind the scenes jobs, while Andy handled everything else.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We specialize in everything Cuban food! Most people think, oh Sunset Bakery they only have pastelitos, coffee, and croquetas. Wrong! We also cater the most delicious Cuban food! Vaca Frita and Arroz Imperial being my favorites! I am beyond proud of how far our little bakery has come in such a short time. Anyone that has been a client of ours since the beginning will be able to tell you the transformation over the years. I believe that our quality is second to none. Each and every pastry is made fresh daily and never carried over to the next day.
What matters most to you?
The most important thing to us is that we are doing the best for our family, business, employees, and customers. Things will not always be perfect, but with our tribe, hard work and perseverance, the sky is the limit for our small business.
Contact Info:
- Email: sunsetbakerymia@gmail.com
- Instagram: @sunsetbakerycafe
- Facebook: Sunset Bakery Cafe
Image Credits
Jackelyn Marcos Photography (jmpmiami_)
