Life & Work with Lauren Tracey of Traverse City, MI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Tracey.

Hi Lauren, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am proud to call Traverse City home and have lived in this beautiful community for over 13 years. My three children, who have either graduated or are still attending school here, have grown up surrounded by the incredible spirit of this area.

My passion for giving back led to the creation of Simply Sourdough in 2024, an idea that started when I began crafting small batches of sourdough. What began as a personal project quickly turned into a vision to make a positive impact for others.

Having seen firsthand the influence of TC High School on my family, I am deeply grateful for the role it has played in my family’s life. In recognition of this, Simply Sourdough donates a portion of its sales each month to the TC High School Pantry.

It’s one of the many reasons you’ll see me around every week—my commitment to supporting this school and its community is at the heart of what I do.

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?
Opening my micro bakery has been a relatively smooth journey. While there were some personal stressors along the way, I was able to handle them with grace and resilience. Overall, the process went well, and I am grateful for the experience and the growth it has brought me. I have received such positive responses from our community. It humbles me to know my products are bringing folks together around a table in one way or another.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We pride ourselves on producing rustic, genuine, artisan sourdough bread, bagels, scones, cookies, pies, and more.

We never add yeast to any of our products, which is part of what makes us authentic. A simple loaf of bread takes 3 days from start to finish. When I say we’re authentic, I truly mean it!

You can come and ask me questions in person this summer season at any of the markets we attend.

Wednesday from 8-12 pm we will be downtown Traverse City at the Sara Hardy market.

Thursday from 2-6 pm we will be in East Bay Township at the Township Hall on 3 Mile Road. The East Bay Corners Farmers Market is in its 2nd year and we are excited to see this one grow.

Friday from 8-12 pm we will be set up in Bellaire at the Bellaire Farmers Market.

Saturday from 9-1 pm we will be in downtown Frankfort.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I moved to Northern Michigan at a young age and met my husband when I was a sophomore in high school. We’ve been married since 2005 and share three wonderful children. We also have our first granddaughter, who will be turning 2 this summer. Opening this bakery was more about these cherished people in my life than it was for myself, each contributing in their unique way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.simplysourdoughtc.com
• Instagram: @simplysourdoughtc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1XsSmJnu7y/