Owl Tree Bakery Makes You Go Whoo Whoo
by Bavani Purushothaman, photos by Mark Dyrud
Driving down the stretch of Hill Road is one of my favorite things to do in Boise. Despite being a stone’s throw away from the chaos of State Street and downtown Boise, it gives me a feeling of being out in the countryside. Imagine my joy when I spotted a little bakery nestled in a cozy cove in the foothills on this route. The Owl Tree Bakery is a quaint little grab-and-go bakery. With a total of six chairs for customers who would like to stay, I usually head for the owl-themed couch to secure my peaceful view of the trees.
The Owl Tree Bakery, which opened in January 2014, is the brainchild of Krysti Bradley. Bradley, who is originally from Missouri, moved to Idaho four years ago. Never having been here before, she took a chance with a job opportunity that arose with her previous employer, Natural Grocers. Her move not only saw her meeting the love of her life, her husband, Colby Bradley, but also taking a leap of faith with her dream of owning her own bakery.
The year was 2013, the month October, when Bradley, who was then a manager at Natural Grocers, found out that the location for the bakery was on sale. It was late one evening when Bradley, her husband, and a friend stood in front of the store. They noticed an owl sitting on a tree for a good amount of time. Bradley, who loves owls, said, “I took this as a sign to move forward with this venture”, and so the name and the store, Owl Tree Bakery, were born. A recurrent theme of owls adorns the store in the form of furniture and decor.
The Bakery’s popular breakfast sandwich—perfectly toasted muffins with an egg, Canadian bacon, and black pepper sauce—and the chai are my favorite items of choice. However, the delectable spread includes brown butter rice Krispie treats, buttermilk spiced muffins, cookies, banana bread, lemon oatmeal bars, almond poppy seed muffins, walnut coffee cakes, and many more treats that sit in the display case, tempting every patron who has the good fortune of walking in. Cinnamon rolls are highly sought-after Sunday specials. For coffee drinkers, this haven offers unique flavors such as almond cardamom breve and dark chocolate cream latte. The syrups used to flavor the drinks such as lavender and chai are homemade.
Bradley also specializes in catering for various companies and events. She has worked with the House of Wines, Healthwise, St Luke’s, Hewlett Packard, ACHD, and the Meriwether Cider Company. She receives orders for school events, birthday parties, and home gatherings. Bradley’s seasonal pies and dinner rolls are sellouts during the end of year festive period of Thanksgiving and Christmas, so be sure to put in your orders early.
When asked what makes the Owl Tree Bakery unique, Bradley says, “Everything is made from scratch. I do not use preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. I only use wholesome ingredients. Being a one-woman operation gives me the benefit of knowing what exactly goes into the baked goods.” Visit the Owl Tree Bakery on any day and you can be sure of being greeted with Bradley’s personal touch, whether in the form of her warmth or delicious treats.
Owl Tree Bakery
3910 Hill Rd., Suite #102, Boise ID 83703
(208) 570-7164
www.owltreebakery.com
