For more than four decades, all kinds of folks have made a point of stopping at Sisters Bakery on Cascade Avenue for a cup of coffee for the road, and some of the finest baked treats to be found in the West.
Spencer Hamiga is the steward of that four-decade tradition, and he and his team, including general manager Macon Luhning, are taking it to new heights. With a background in food service, Hamiga took a front-of-house-position at Sisters Bakery while moving toward a new career in teaching.
“I was between jobs; between careers really,” he recalled. “I just fell in love with the place.”
He worked up to general manager, and in 2022, when the opportunity presented itself to purchase the business, he and his wife Gloria took the plunge. He’s still in love with the place — and so are the bakery’s loyal customers.
Favorites change over time. For years, Sisters Bakery was famous for its donuts. Now, the most popular items are scones. Whatever your taste in baked goods — from bear claws to pies — you’ll find it here. And it’s all made in-house. Those perfectly-rolled croissants? They’re rolled out by hand.
“It’s a huge spread,” Luhning said.
The bakery built a reputation for exceptional bread — especially its sourdough.
“Macon came in and really tightened up that sourdough recipe,” Hamiga said.
It’s so popular that Sisters Bakery opened an off-site bakery to support wholesale business.
“We’re mostly in grocery stores with our bread,” Luhning said. “A few restaurants around Central Oregon.”
Many of the region’s coffee shops feature their pastries.
The delectable baked goods are only one part of the experience at Sisters Bakery. Hamiga and Luhning emphasize personal engagement with customers. They see a genuine connection between staff and customers as vital to the customer experience and the long-term success of Sisters Bakery.
“It makes it memorable,” Hamiga said. “It makes it a place you want to come back to.”
They invest in their employees by providing sector-leading pay and benefits.
A thoughtful, people-centered approach to a business they genuinely love allows Hamiga and Luhning to confidently expect that their customers will walk out, and hit the road to whatever adventure awaits, fully satisfied. As Hamiga puts it:
“You’ll have one of the best customer service experiences you can have — and you’ll get the best scones on the market.”
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