Soltane Bridges Cafe & Bakery: Creating Opportunities While Serving Up Artisan Treats & Coffee

Soltane Bridges Cafe and BakerySoltane Bridges Cafe & Bakery on Bridge Street brightens up the daily grind of Phoenixville as people get their java fix and snacks before work. On the weekends the place is hopping.

What is Soltane’s secret to success? It all lies in the founding of an exceptional place with amazing people and a solid plan.

The community of Camphill Soltane is in Glenmoore, founded in 1988 specifically for young adults with special needs transitioning from school life into adult life. Camphill is an international movement where people with and without disabilities live, work and learn together in community. Camphill Soltane’s mission is to give individuals with special needs the opportunities to uncover their talents and grow their capacities so they can take their place in the world as meaningful and valued contributors.

The bakery has been an important part of community life since its inception, and in 2011 the bakery moved into Phoenixville to share amazing artisan bread with the wider community and to provide a greater work experience and life experience for people with special needs. And what better to pair with the finest quality bread than the finest quality coffee? With that idea, Soltane Bridges Cafe & Bakery was born.

Soltane’s menu consists of quiche, croissants, scones, cookies, cake and pie, and if that isn’t enough to make your mouth water, baking manager Barby Bonett also whips up these treats in the kitchen: Yamster croissants, ginger chocolate scones, raspberry streusel squares, veggie sausage croissants, Hootie Hoos, Foxy Pumpkin mini-pies, peanut Tiger Sharks and Mexican chocolate fudge. Soltane infuses all of its baked goods with creativity. “All of our offerings are vegetarian, handmade in house with love and organic ingredients,” said manager Danielle Cowan.

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The one-of-a-kind artisanal loaves are made largely from local heirloom grains and organic ingredients. Mark Doberenz is one of the founders of the bakery in Phoenixville and is now marketing his brand, Green Lion Breads, all across the region, said Danielle.

“We serve Counter Culture Coffee, which is a direct trade, specialty coffee roaster that provides incredible coffee and remarkable training to the staff. There is great involvement from the barista all the way back to the farmer who grew the cherry. Our staff attends training sessions in Philadelphia and has access to coffee labs in cities across the country where they hone their craft. Counter Culture invests directly in the farms where they are sourcing from in coffee-growing communities worldwide,” said Danielle.

Soltane Bridges Cafe and Bakery“In-house, everyone does their part in creating a successful business. There are so many people with so many relationships to the space. There are employees and a crew of volunteer apprentices, there are folks who live in community at Soltane who come out and work in the café and bakery and there are people who live in the supported residential homes in Phoenixville that walk to work,” Danielle added. “The bakery is a social movement providing opportunities to people of all abilities; making incredible coffee and treats is how we fulfill this mission. The management structure is reflective of this. I am the business manager in addition to managing the human resources and finances of the café, and I oversee another local business also connected to Camphill called the Soltane Store.” The store is just a few steps up Bridge Street from the bakery.

Danielle’s background includes administration, residential management and support. Together, the business has more than 30 years of restaurant and restaurant management experience. “I rely heavily on the very talented team we have created. Peter, the barista trainer, is deeply loved by our community. Moriah, the operations manager, has meticulous attention to detail and a knack for organization. Barby is the baking manager, and her commercial baking experience really drives the bakery forward. Emma is our experienced social therapist who works with individuals to explore and develop their goals. Each staff member, whether employee or volunteer, regardless of their needs, is being thoughtfully trained and supported to identify and develop their gifts.”

Soltane has challenges like any other business, but handles them with aplomb. “Has anyone else ever said that running a café is challenging? The schedule still needs to be posted, so-and-so is sick, the health inspector is here, the AC is broken, the jar of matcha just broke on the floor and the line is out the door,” said Danielle. “But these are challenges that are not unique to us. We have the special challenge of operating a café, pastry bakery, production bread bakery, social therapeutic center, barista training facility and community hub all in 800 square feet.”

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This last year has been one of tremendous growth and change. Soltane has gone from 1 paid employee to 13, hours have expanded by more than double and sales have increased by 225%. Danielle says this quantitative growth has enabled Soltane to reach more people and expand the community. “Our goals for the upcoming year are to find ways to support more people of all abilities, to further develop our internal training program, to deepen our work of exploring people’s gifts. There are fringe conversations about moving the baking operation to a larger space, and potentially open a second location,” she added.

Danielle and her team say the non-business aspects are the best part of the bakery. “We have a team of barista apprentice volunteers who receive the top-notch Counter Culture training and have the opportunity to practice their skills on our espresso bar in exchange for being a reliable staffing resource. Second, our tips go into a ‘pay-it-forward’ jar and are donated to local causes. Third, all of the good that happens in this space grows exponentially. You can feel it when you walk through the door, the feeling that something special is going on around you.”

Soltane Bridges Cafe and Bakery

The next time you’re on Bridge Street, have a sip of incredible coffee, devour a creative plate of delicious flaky vegan goodness and feel the magic swirling around you when you walk in the doors of Soltane. Enjoy.

Find Camphill Soltane Bridges Cafe & Bakery at 138 Bridge St. in Phoenixville; phone: (610) 933-1819.

  • Photos: Stephen Trimble