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ARTS & CULTURE
KANSAN.COM
Brothers transform laundromat into new bakery, coffee shop
KELLY CORDINGLEY
@KellyCordingley
At 21 and 23 years old, the Petrehn brothers could be average college students trudging up the hill to their 9 a.m. classes. Instead, they're up before the sun in their bakery and coffee shop.
Nearly a month and a half ago, the brothers turned a laundromat located at 1900 Barker Ave. into their ideal neighborhood bakery.
Taylor and Reagan Petrehn opened their bakery called 1900 Barker in early June, and have seen fairly steady traffic since.
"The neighborhood has been really supportive," Taylor said. "It's been fun to meet new people and see new people in their community environment instead of a downtown strip. We were really busy right away, and I feel like we're starting to hit stride now."
Taylor, 23, graduated from Johnson County Community College's culinary program in 2010. He's worked in the restaurant industry for years but said he began baking professionally three years ago, roughly the same time he moved to Lawrence with a group of friends.
"I loved [Lawrence], and decided to call it home," Taylor said. "It had been a dream for a long time. I walked by this place all the time, and I was like, 'What would it be like if there was a bakery in this neighborhood?'"
The brothers are from Paola, and said they've been foodies for years. Roughly four years ago, Taylor built a pizza oven at their family's home. He said they'd bring in a guest bartender for the evening and enjoy great pizza together.
"We've almost always done food together," Taylor said.
Working with his brother came naturally to Reagan, he said.
"It's great. We have 20-plus years
of experience communicating with each other, so it's really easy to communicate, and you don't get that with any other business partner," Reagan said. "I know my ideas will be understood immediately. I don't have to worry."
Last week 1900 Barker extended its hours to include Wednesday and Thursday. The cafe is currently open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The brothers serve coffee all day but cycle through different food options. Pastries come out of the oven at 7 a.m., and in the afternoon the Petrehns focus on their breads.
"Pastries usually sell out pretty quickly," Taylor said. "We see a lull around 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. or so, and as bread comes out of the oven people start showing back up and then they'll grab an espresso on their way home from work."
Of the wheat used in their breads, 25 percent comes from a local farm, and all the wheat they use is certified organic. The coffee they use will change every few months as they switch roasteries.
"Every quarter we plan to rotate two new coffee roasters," Taylor said. "We're really searching for the best in the industry."
Since the cafe has only been open about a month a half, Taylor said they still have room to grow. They're planning to offer more lunch options as well as host neighborhood block parties.
"Our hope is to really serve the community around us and provide great bread and coffee for people," Taylor said.
Banana Bread Pudding: I've never had a bread pudding like this one. It was perfectly soft and beautifully marbled on the inside with a slight crispiness on the outside, creating a perfect texture variation. It wasn't too sweet and it wasn't like a banana bread, per se, but it was fantastic.
Peach Cream Galette: If we were giving out pastry awards, this one would take the cake. The freshness of the peaches was only matched in deliciousness by the sugar-sprinkled crust enveloping the peach-filled goodness.
Blackberry/Plum Galette: This little pastry was slightly more tart than the peach cream one — no complaints, though. The dark plum-colored center is as beautifiu as it is tasty. The sugar complements the tartness well.
Daily focaccia: This is more of a lunch-type bread, as it's covered with tomatoes and olives and baked cheese. It's the best of all things savory and would make for a delicious appetizer.
Espresso: The espresso was beautifully poured. I almost didn't want to drink it at first because I didn't want to ruin the swirly, heart-shaped milk designs on the top. This may be the smoothest espresso I've ever had, and I've had my fair share.
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1900 Barker, located at 1900 Barker Ave., is currently open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
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