Easing Into Each Day with Hush-Harbor Artisan Bakery & Cafe
When they stepped out in faith nearly 20 years ago to start Hush-Harbor Artisan Bakery & Café, husband and wife team Donnie and Penni Monroe knew they would have to work hard. Atascadero is a big little city, with the population hovering around 30,000 residents. And while not everyone knows each other, it’s not uncommon to walk through downtown and spot someone to say hello to. Launching there meant winning over the loyal hearts — and appetites — of the locals.
And win them over the Monroes did. Since 2003, Hush-Harbor has been a favorite of locals and visitors alike for doing the small-town, charming brunch vibe right. Years after opening their doors, this Atascadero spot continues to draw lunchtime lines for its skillfully executed morning glory muffins, cinnamon rolls and apple turnovers alongside sandwiches, salads, soups. Top sellers include the popular chocolate chip cookies and brownies, and during the holiday season the sweet potato pies are in high demand. Every food item offered at Hush-Harbor is made with fresh ingredients, and what could be better than a delicious sandwich on bread that was baked just an hour ago?
“We’re a from-scratch bakery and café, and our breads are top quality,” says Donnie. “Each piece of bread has been touched by hand — no machines, no shapers, no automation; we truly kept it Old World style.”
As one of the only Black business owners in town at the time they moved to the area, Penni shares they had some tough years in the beginning. Even now, Hush-Harbor is still one of just a handful of Black-owned businesses in SLO County, but it’s the community, their faith and their loyal customers that help ensure the Monroes have staying power, even in the face of a global pandemic.
“Our customers have helped sustain us,” Penni relays, fighting back tears. “Between COVID and Black Lives Matter … let me just say, there are people that care. There’s just so much going on, and we feel blessed to be able to continue serving our customers. Our community has really stepped up, those that have been with us all the way, those that recognize the quality and the time we put into our bakery.”
“We did a lot of praying to pull this off,” she continues. “To some degree, it is hard for us to take credit for anything because starting this business was bigger than us; there were a lot of blessings along the way. It’s been a ‘dig deep’ experience for us from day one.”
With a background in the aerospace industry — Donnie put in 25 years as a quality assurance program manager, while Penni worked in contracting and procurement for 23 years — the Monroes moved with their children, Malcolm and Morgan, from Southern California to Atascadero to pursue their dream of owning and operating a bakery. After studying at the San Francisco Baking Institute, and apprenticing under a master baker at Simple Simon’s Bakery & Bistro in Riverside where he learned that, most importantly, baking takes patience, Donnie was eager to bring Hush-Harbor to life.
Now still, whether he’s making rustic Italian, sourdough, wheat or any of the many breads offered at the bakery, Donnie works with precision as he handcrafts his creations.
“Artisan baking can be both frustrating and very rewarding,” shares Donnie. “A typical day starting at 3:30am can be met with unforeseen challenges — excess heat, humidity or just plain cold. The baker’s ability to mitigate these issues will in most cases determine if you have a product you can be proud of. Unlike industrial baking, the artisan baker is involved in the process from start to finish, hand dividing, shaping and scoring each loaf. If all goes well, you will have a finished product you will feel good about sharing with your customers.”
“Donnie is like a man of steel,” Penni says, proudly. “He never stops, and is meticulous with everything he bakes and creates. He’s like an artist, giving love, time and attention to every detail and the customers really appreciate it. There are days when the bread is so pretty, you almost hate to cut into it.”
Nowadays, Morgan continues to work alongside her father while pursuing a music career, and Malcolm’s career in software and e-commerce keeps him in L.A. And while Penni has taken a step back from the business to spend more time with their granddaughter, Chloe, their dedicated staff members — Gabriel Jaramillo, Manuel Gonzalez, Stevie Stinson and Michael Taft — have all stepped up to carry on the mission.
