- September 28, 2021
- Posted by: Stratford Team
- Category: Business
APPALACHIA — Marla Weitzman already had a day job as an English professor at UVA Wise when she decided to start baking at home for farmers markets in Southwest Virginia.
After 10 years of turning her kitchen into a place where scones, pretzels, cinnamon buns and different breads got ready to go to market each week, Weitzman decided it was time to think bigger.
“I didn’t have time to negotiate with my family for kitchen space,” Weitzman said with a laugh as she set the oven timer for a batch of s’mores bread loaves topped with marshmallows Monday.
Weitzman decided to take what she called “a leap of faith” earlier this year. She came up with an expanded business plan for Breads by Marla with the help of the Small Business Development Center and started looking for a new kitchen to move into the wholesale bakery business.
“I own this whole building,” Weitzman said of the former convenience store and church next door to the Appalachia Post…