From Hobby to Homemade Success: Lennox baker turns passion into community bread stand

What started with a gifted loaf of sourdough bread has grown into one of Lennox’s newest small businesses, bringing fresh homemade breads and baked goods to the community one Sunday at a time.

Brianna Peterson, owner of Ope I Baked Again, opened her self-serve bread stand on May 30 at 609 N. Main Street in Lennox. Although the stand has only been open for a short time, it has already developed a loyal following thanks to Peterson’s creative baking and the enthusiastic support of the community.

Peterson and her family moved to Lennox about four years ago and quickly fell in love with the community.

“I currently work as a Financial Representative for Modern Woodmen and love to give back to this community as much as possible,” Peterson said.

Her sourdough journey began after her sister-in-law started gifting the family homemade loaves.

“We loved it so much I wanted to be able to make my own so we always had some on hand,” Peterson said. “I’ve loved creating in the kitchen, so I saw it as another skill to learn.”

After countless conversations with experienced sourdough bakers and hours of research, Peterson dove into the craft.

“I fell in love with the process, and the results that came from only flour, water and salt amazed me,” she said. “I couldn’t stop.”

As she continued baking, Peterson began seeing farm stand concepts online, sparking the idea of opening one herself. With encouragement from her husband, who helped build the stand, the dream quickly became reality.

“It’s only been a short time since we’ve opened, but once I set my mind to something, it just has to happen,” she said.

The business name, Ope I Baked Again, reflects Peterson’s Midwestern roots.

“It came about from being a Midwesterner,” she said. “’Ope’ is used in my daily vocabulary, and I wanted to portray a fun, lighthearted brand that people in the Midwest could relate to and smile at.”

While sourdough has become her specialty, baking has always been part of Peterson’s life.

“I grew up baking with my grandma and aunt and now share some time in the kitchen with my son,” she said. “I’ve loved creating and sharing love through baked goods. It “was always sourdough from the beginning, but my experience and ideas have evolved along the way. 

Today, customers can find a wide variety of homemade treats at the stand. The menu regularly includes full sourdough loaves, mini loaf flights, cookies, muffins, caramel rolls, cinnamon rolls, focaccia, pretzel bites and other sweet treats. Peterson is continually experimenting with new recipes and flavors.

Because she works full time during the week while balancing family life, the bread stand operates as a pop-up.

“I aim to open and stock the stand two to three Sundays a month,” Peterson said. “The full process of a stand being open can take me two to three days of prep and baking, so I am always in the kitchen.”

Customers can visit the stand at 609 N. Main Street beginning at 8 a.m. on scheduled Sundays. Menus and opening dates are announced in advance on the business’s Facebook and Instagram pages under Ope.ibakedagain. Peterson also participates in Lennox Main Street vendor fairs and hopes to attend more community events in the future.

The community response has exceeded her expectations.

“We had our first open day May 30 of this year, and the turnout was better than I expected,” Peterson said. “This community, my friends, family and neighbors have been so supportive throughout the entire process. We love hearing all of the feedback and fun notes left at the stand.”

As the seasons change, customers can also expect new offerings. Peterson plans to introduce additional flavored sourdough loaves, new varieties in her popular mini loaf flights, creative cookie flavors and fall-inspired favorites featuring pumpkin, apple and cinnamon.

Looking ahead, Peterson says she is simply thankful for the support she has received.

“I have appreciated all of the support and am so grateful to each and every one of our customers,” she said. “I cannot wait to see what fun the future holds.”