Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Westbrook.
Hi Mary, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
For two decades, I have navigated life with multiple food intolerances, which made cooking and eating out with two young kids a challenge. A decade ago, I discovered I am celiac and also lactose intolerant, which made eating out feel like a gamble every single time. I learned to read every label question every kitchen and mostly just go without. The place I always wanted didn’t exist yet. I knew I wasn’t alone with these challenges and I wanted to offer something that everyone could enjoy without feeling excluded. I’ve been a single mom since 2018 and a few years ago I started selling banana bread out of my house for a little extra income – all gluten and dairy free.
January of this year an opportunity popped up overnight – commercial real estate on front Street with a large open area and space for a commercial kitchen. I signed the lease and the work began immediately. Six weeks of intensive labor to create a welcoming, safe place for everyone to enjoy.
Clean crumbles is a café that I always dreamed of building. The place I had been searching for for decades. Everything here is something I can actually eat, which means it’s something everyone else can eat too – no exceptions no compromises, just clean healthy food that actually tastes amazing. Everything is free from gluten, dairy and processed corn. I make everything from scratch myself without any extra preservatives or additives. It started with baked goods and pancakes and has grown into include salads, sandwiches, and soups.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge along the way has been finances. As a single mom, I was hesitant to take out a big business loan and go deep into debt. So I decided to drain my savings account to build my dream. It’s week by week, month by month to make this all happen. Budgeting and planning ahead while still ensuring I have enough ingredients; packaging and labeling; utensils, napkins, and cups; supplies for the bathroom and cleaning… it’s a very fine balancing act to make this all work while still supporting myself and two kids as a single mom.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My menu started with banana bread, cakes, protein bars, pancakes, and cinnamon rolls. It has grown into adding cookies, soft serve ice cream, salads, a quinoa bowl, sandwiches, and most recently adding soups for this fall. It’s my goal to make this the most inclusive café in Traverse City for those with dietary restrictions, it’s while still making every single item from scratch with my own two hands in the kitchen I built – down to the salad dressings and sandwich spreads. As always, everything I offer is free from gluten dairy processed corn, extra additives, and preservatives. I have the highest quality standards when it comes to ingredients, flavors, textures, and appearance.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
At the heart of all of this is making others feel included. So much of our lives is based around foods – birthdays, weddings, work lunches, outings with friends for lunch dates or dinner dates, celebrations and other big life events, people gather and connect with food. When someone is singled out due to their dietary limitations, the exclusion can cut deeper than others realize; and when they can finally be included in those moments to the fullest, it’s difficult to articulate what that means to someone.
Pricing:
- Cakes $15, Banana Bread $8
- Cookies $5-$6, Protein Bars $7
- Soft Serve Ice Cream $4-8
- Salads $14-$16, Sandwiches $15
- Soups $10
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cleancrumbles.com
- Instagram: @cleancrumblescafe
- Facebook: Clean Crumbles
