Jill and Tim Brunk are co-owners of Papa Brunk’s Bakery in Fort Atkinson. Tim has been a baker for 28 years and is the inspiration for their business name. Jill and Tim’s grandkids, as well as many kids on local sports teams, use the nickname “Papa Brunk” when referring to Tim. He was much appreciated as the snack parent when he brought treats for his kids’ teams as well as the opponents’ teams.
A FAMILY MATTER
Tim’s experience as the head baker for 25 years at Pine Cone Restaurant in Johnson Creek established his reputation for tasty food, quality ingredients and ability to try new recipes successfully. For him, food is love. Papa Brunk’s is truly a family endeavor, employing Jarrett, their youngest son, to make cookies and cheesecakes for the bakery. Their other two sons, Josh and Jacob, as well as nieces, nephews and sisters all pitch in when needed.
ASSISTANCE GETTING STARTED
Other assistance came from Ron Chisholm, a consultant at the UW-Whitewater Small Business Development Center (SBDC). “Ron helped us understand the demographics of the area and assisted with our business plan so we could take it to lenders,” Tim said. Once the Brunks selected the location for their bakery, they were ready to move forward with the buildout.
“We hired an architect to design the space to meet building inspection and code requirements,” Jill said. The facility was rewired with new electrical components to meet the needs of kitchen appliances. A remodel included changing the layout of the space and adding wood tones and an old-fashioned hutch featuring collectibles. The result was a “homey, comfortable atmosphere where visitors truly feel like family,” Jill said.
Accomplishments with UW-Whitewater SBDC
- Area demographics
- Business plan
SURPRISES ALONG THE WAY
They encountered a few surprises on their way to successful entrepreneurship. “I was surprised by my own emotions that came with starting a business,” Jill said. “We wondered what we had gotten ourselves into and fretted a bit about having no supervisor to deal with problems, knowing we had to deal with issues ourselves.” The anxiety was similar to what many new business owners face, with lots of people criticizing their ideas and many vendors and lobbyists asking for support from the business.
“One obstacle we had to overcome is learning how much to bake. We feel it is better to sell out than throw out, and if we bake too much, we strive to avoid food waste. Our leftovers are donated to the police department and other local organizations,” Jill said.
Another surprise was more positive. “We were stunned by the love and support people offered us. Retail sales are so big on Saturdays, people are waiting outside to get in,” Tim said. They have had lots of support from local businesses as well.
A local Irish pub bought out all their bread for use in a grilled cheese special, and Blodgett Garden Center hosted an oil-tasting event that featured Papa Brunk’s bread as well. Financial support came from a revolving loan fund sponsored by Thrive, and PremierBank helped by providing a home equity loan.
FUTURE ENDEAVORS
The future looks bright for Papa Brunk’s Bakery. They are hoping to add more bakers to their team, and to fulfill requests from local businesses to offer wholesale goods. They also would love to add more ovens and eventually move to a bigger space.
Tim and Jill said what they enjoy most is the social experience at their bakery. “We have seen friends, neighbors, old co-workers and people we haven’t seen in years come out to chat. This small community is served well by our homey space.”