For those who often find themselves traveling down Humphrey Street, there’s a new bakery called Three Hundred Fifty to help make their day a little sweeter.
Business owner Lilly Tapper, who opened her bakery on Nov. 22, said she had always wanted to open her own business while growing up.
“My parents have their own business, and I was inspired by them, as well as always having a passion for baking… I put those two together — and since I was a little girl — I had this thought of opening up a bakery,” Tapper said.
She explained that baking became a side hustle for her while she was in high school, when she took time to hone her recipes and build her own brand. She said she was having trouble coming up with a name when her brother asked, “What temperature do you bake at?”
“I said, ‘Three hundred and fifty degrees,’ and he told me, ‘There you go,’” she said.
Tapper aimed to create a modern take on pastries, a place that offered a similar vibe to the classic storefront bakeries in London, where passersby get a direct glimpse of the goods. They offer everything from cakes and cookies to tea and coffee.
“I went to London a few years ago, and every bakery that I walked past had its display right in the window… And you don’t see that a lot. That’s why I designed the bakery the way it is; I wanted to create a space that wasn’t expected, compared to a typical coffee shop or bakery,” she said.
Tapper attended Johnson & Wales University, where she double majored in Baking and Pastry Arts and Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship. She then earned a Master’s Degree in Business with a concentration in Marketing.
“I got a lot of hands-on experience at Johnson & Wales in the baking world, then I had a couple of internships after that where I learned a lot of business skills… I also think the ‘in-the-moment’ experiences of running my own business has really taught me a lot,” she said.
Tapper continued, saying that while she wanted to create a brand that defines what she’s trying to bring to the town, it was also important to think of the community when creating a business that reflects the needs and desires of community members.
She noted that the response from the community has been amazing, adding that the word-of-mouth between customers and continual business has left Tapper speechless.
“People are so supportive, and I’ve had repeat customers in the few days we’ve been open,” she said. “It’s amazing how the community supports local businesses.”
She added that she’s excited to establish herself in her new bakery, and that when she’s envisioning her future, she hopes to open more locations and expand the brand.
