Bearfoot Bakery: From Homeschool Kitchen to Beloved Community Bakery

How a simple bread lesson turned into Kodiak’s go-to destination for fresh, from-scratch baked goods

In the heart of Kodiak, Alaska, there’s a warm, welcoming spot where the smell of fresh bread fills the air and everything—from the baguettes to the cinnamon rolls—is made from scratch. But the story behind Bearfoot Bakery is just as rich as its sourdough: a journey that began at a homeschool kitchen table and grew into one of the town’s most treasured businesses.

Crystal Burnside, the owner of Barefoot Bakery, never planned to open a bakery. In 2014, while homeschooling her four children, she began teaching her two oldest daughters, then 13 and 14, to make bread. Her husband took a loaf of the white sandwich bread to work. During lunch he returned home—with orders.

“It took a little bit to create a wheat bread that we were happy with,” says Crystal. “We were grinding our own wheat and figuring out the dough consistency, really getting into the science of bread making.”

Soon after, the family began selling at Kodiak’s farmer’s market. “We started with a dozen loaves and a couple dozen cookies,” Crystal recalls. “By the end of the season, we had doubled everything and added cinnamon rolls and pies.” A new business was born—organically, humbly, and with a lot of heart.

Some of Crystal’s bread took a while to master. “I find that I get bored with the products I have, so I like to take on challenges and learn something new, such as croissants,” says Crystal. Searching recipes, watching You Tube videos and attending a baking class has resulted in a croissant that would make any French person weep, with the perfect amount of lofty layers and buttery flavor.

As the bakery grew, so did the lessons. What began as a science-meets-life-skills project evolved into a hands-on education in math, budgeting, inventory, and entrepreneurship. “We weren’t trying to build a business at first—it just unfolded,” says Crystal. “And we incorporated all of it into our homeschooling.”

After ten summers at the farmer’s market, the family was ready for a new chapter. In November 2023, Bearfoot Bakery opened the doors of its first brick-and-mortar location—two and a half years in the making. Crystal even took a week-long intensive course at the San Francisco Baking Institute to prepare for commercial-scale baking. “We wanted to make sure we were ready—not just with recipes, but with equipment and operations,” she explains.

Thanks to smart planning, staff now arrive at 5 a.m., with overnight equipment doing the early work of proofing. “Nobody wants to come in at two in the morning,” Crystal laughs. “We wanted to preserve quality of life—for us and our team.”

Breakfast, Lunch, and Fancy Fridays

The bakery is open year-round, serving breakfast sandwiches and lunch. The space is mainly to-go, but there are tables set-up where customers can sit and enjoy coffee and a pastry with family and friends. Breakfast sandwiches—made with house buns, croissants, or bagels—include eggs, cheese, and bacon, sausage, or ham. At lunch, popular offerings include freshly made sandwiches on baguettes with turkey or roast beef roasted in house. A sandwich would not be complete without that perfect layer of dressing, which is all homemade, such as a roasted red pepper mayo for the Italian sandwich or a horseradish mayo for the roast beef.

Winter months also bring a daily hot soup made from scratch. “We try to waste nothing,” Crystal says. “Trimmings from our meats go into stews, chilis, and pot roasts.”

On Fridays, the bakery hosts "Fancy Friday," a special dessert day featuring crème brûlée, mini cheesecakes, tarts, or single-serving treats using seasonal fruits. On this day, they will test out new recipes and make the dessert extra fancy for people to try. A customer favorite is a berry and cream danish with a croissant dough shell that is split open and filled with fresh whipped cream and juicy berries. During the holidays, the bakery trays display caramel apple pies, pumpkin and pecan and holiday bread such as cranberry.

Sourdough is one of the bakery’s most popular items—and one of Crystal’s personal passions. “I love talking about it,” she says. “It’s like science and baking all rolled into one.” Crystal has been experimenting with sourdough flavors such as cinnamon chip or cranberry pecan, but whatever flavor she offers, usually sells out daily.

Rooted in Community

Today, Bearfoot Bakery employs a staff of 11 and continues to be a family affair. While Crystal’s older daughters have moved away, her younger children still help after school or during breaks. Her husband Chad, who always had the vision of a bakery, works full time in IT and remains closely involved behind the scenes.

“We’re committed to providing a high-quality product at a reasonable price,” Crystal says. “Kodiak is a hardworking town. We don’t want people to feel like ‘this is good enough for here.’ We want to always commit to making a better product so our customers know it’s just as good as anything they’d get in New York or Paris.”

Planning a Visit?

Be sure to stop by for a fresh breakfast, a handcrafted lunch, or a Fancy Friday dessert. And if you're lucky, grab a loaf of the bakery’s famous sourdough—before it sells out! Bearfoot Bakery is at 111 Rezanof Dr W #1, Kodiak, AK 99615. Phone: (907) 512-6836