Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1534934
HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MAY 5, 2025 29 Small Business Week Category Winner SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR INDUSTRY: Food Service HEADQUARTERS: Hebron ANNUAL REVENUE: $1.2 million EMPLOYEES: 40 WEBSITE: www.theflourgirlct.com CONTACT: (860) 530-1536 Q&A talks with Michelle Nicholson, owner of The Flour Girl Bakery and Cafe. The Flour Girl is a small-town bakery and café rooted in community and handcrafted comfort. What started on our front porch has grown into a welcoming space serving fresh sourdough bread, pastries, soups, sandwiches and seasonal treats. Flour Girl brews locally roasted coffee and offers a menu made from scratch. Its focus is on quality, connection and bringing people together. How did you get into this business? What motivated you? In high school I took a few culinary courses, which is where I truly found my love for baking, but I had never really considered making a career out of it. It wasn't until I had taught myself how to make sourdough, and had friends asking to buy it, that I thought I could really make something out of this. The community in my town is what truly motivated me to make this happen. Without their support I wouldn't have reached the level of success that I have now. How has your business grown in the past year? One of our biggest accomplishments is the construction of our fourth Michelle Nicholson building in four years. Although construction is not yet completed, we look forward to having a larger kitchen and more seating to accommodate the demand of our products. In 2024, we sold a total of 60,000 drinks and 51,000 meals. We have also expanded our services into events, hosting more than 40 events in 2024 alone. This past year we also introduced take-and-bake products for the first time, selling a total of 2,000 meals. What's a major challenge your business has overcome in the past year? Considering I had never built or managed a business, I took a leap of faith opening The Flour Girl in the middle of the pandemic. Not only did I have to learn how to run the business, but I had to do it while figuring out how to navigate a pandemic, which was just as challenging as it was rewarding. Thankfully, I have built an extremely supportive team that makes this challenge seem a little more bearable each day through laughter and celebration, even for the small wins. What major strategic plans do you have in the next few years? We are currently finishing up construction on our fourth building. With more seating and a larger kitchen, the café will be able to take on The Flour Girl's fast growth by moving into this building. The current café will be turned into a general store featuring locally made products such as soap, tea and mugs. The main focus of the general store will be on the take-and-bake meals that are made freshly each week in the bakery. Meet growing small businesses in CT E ach year, in honor of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration recognizes small companies throughout Connecticut. These awards have been handed out every year since 1963, and the president of the United States issues a proclamation highlighting their contributions to signify the important role of America's entrepreneurs and small business owners. This year, the Hartford Business Journal is highlighting the winners from 2025. In the pages that follow, you can read profiles about some of the recent SBA award winners, including what they do and how they've grown and dealt with the myriad challenges that come along with running a small business. The special section was done in partnership with the SBA, and through the sponsorship of Torrington Savings Bank. 2 0 2 5 S M A L L B U S I N E S S W E E K A W A R D E E S SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR - Michelle Nicholson, The Flour Girl Bakery (Hebron) JEFFREY BUTLAND FAMILY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Cricket Press Inc. (West Hartford) MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR - Medzah Industries (Glastonbury) MICROENTERPRISE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Greenmont Healthcare Products LLC (Manchester) YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR - Aimee Filippetti, Never Enough Bake Shop (Mystic) WOMAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Goggin Safety Services LLC (Plantsville) VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Seacoast Mushrooms (Stonington) Owner, The Flour Girl Bakery and Cafe (Top photo) The Flour Girl Bakery and Cafe owner Michelle Nicholson, and her expanding business in Hebron (bottom photo).