Specialty desserts are available at Gulf Shore Bakery in south Fort Myers. They are baked fresh daily and have no preservatives.
The smell of fresh baked bread seeps from the Gulf Shore Bakery on McGregor Boulevard in south Fort Myers.
Customers can see exactly why as they take in the sight of pastries, muffins, Halloween-themed treats and shelves lined with bread.
“It’s freshly baked every day and we make everything from scratch,” said Tim Countryman, the owner and baker at the shop for the last four years.
The bakery has grown now offers pastries and specialty cakes along with their bread selections.
“We are getting into specialty desserts and specialty cakes that nobody else will do like novelty cakes,” said Countryman about the bakery he owns with his wife, Tracy. They have 11 employees and four delivery trucks. “A lot of people want that private bakery and that’s what we are.”
The service keeps customers coming back for more but it’s the offerings that have them hooked.
“The demand is high for Italian desserts ... they seem to be hitting the best right now,” said Countryman adding that cannoli’s are a fave among customers. “We make really unique bread too that they can’t get anywhere else.”
The bread selections include white, rye and wheat among others. Select breads are made on certain days of the month including golden cheddar, apricot walnut and sundried tomato pesto.
“We print a monthly calendar with the specialty breads so customers can get them,” said Countryman, who said customers come in on specific days because they like the flavors so much.
Despite the bakery’s offerings, Countryman said, the retail end of his business could use some improvement.
“It’s very difficult to get in and out of this shopping center and it’s kind of hard to see me here so I have to be really good at what I do,” said Countryman, who added that he makes up most of his business by selling his goods wholesale to local restaurants. “We are trying to focus on retail and getting more visible.”
Judy Murac is a regular at the bakery and drives in from Fort Myers Beach just to buy bread.
“I love the bread. It’s great!” said Murac, adding that she likes that the bread has no preservative and has natural ingredients. “I just love this bakery. They have so many different kinds (of bread) and the quality of stuff.”
Countryman prides himself in the quality of his ingredients and offerings.
“We have expanded so drastically ... in four years, our volume has multiplied even though the summers are slow,” said Countryman who also offers a box lunch for $5.50. “I can’t complain.”
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