As Triangle businesses close, Madame B's Bakery expands 4 years after nearly shutting down
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A lot has changed at Madame B's Bakery.
Owner Shanae Bryant has transformed the business into what she calls a "one-stop sweet shop," complete with a coffee bar and a wide variety of baked goods.
"We want someone to come in and say, 'Hey, I come to the bakery in my community, and I grew up going there.' I want that to be their experience," Bryant said.
Four years ago, that experience nearly came to an end.
The bakery was on the verge of closing, but community support helped keep the business alive.
"Faith. That's all I have. Faith in my community. Faith in God. Faith in overcoming," Bryant said.
Today, Madame B's has a full staff, and Bryant has even brought her mother, Sharon Bryant, known as "Mama B," onto the team full time.
Sharon Bryant, whose recipes help define the bakery's offerings, starts each day early to ensure everything is baked fresh.
"If you take care of the people, they'll take care of you. So, when I make something, I make it with the people in mind," she said.
That relationship between local businesses and their customers can be especially important as many small businesses face economic challenges.
Several businesses across the Triangle have recently closed, and economists say rising costs are making it harder for some companies to stay afloat.
"We're seeing this unfortunate confluence of rising prices and consumers pushing back," said Dr. Gerald Cohen of UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
For bakeries and restaurants, that can mean higher food and labor costs while customers become more cautious about spending.
"They say, 'I realize I want to have this in my community, and I'm willing to pay higher prices to go there and support the community,'" Cohen said. "That can be a really powerful motive for people."
Adrienne Branch said that sense of community support is what brought her to Madame B's for the first time.
"I wanted to come and support. I was off, and I saw it on TikTok, and I was really interested in trying their lattes," Branch said.
That support has helped Madame B's move beyond survival and into expansion.
Bryant is opening a second location along Rock Quarry Road in southeast Raleigh.
"This is the second location, the southeast location," Bryant said while giving a tour of the unfinished space.
"You'll be able to see the windows here. We'll have a seating area here," she said.
The new location will also serve as a learning hub for students enrolled in culinary classes at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School.
For a business that once faced the possibility of closing, Bryant said the expansion is a reflection of the community that stood behind her.
"Thank you doesn't even scratch the surface," Bryant said. "I'm going to continue doing my part to give back to the community."
