Village Business Profile: Bread & Chocolate

This is the first in a series of short profiles of the businesses that make our village centers special.  If you have a favorite business you’d like to see profiled, please contact me or Daphne Collins.

Bread & Chocolate: bakery/café at 108 Madison Ave, Newtonville Newtonville resident Steve Feller established Bread & Chocolate in 2006, with his wife Eunice. They have eight employees.

What motivated you to get into business?
Well, it’s not a short question to answer. It was a combined effort between my wife and I. We were at two different spots in our corporate careers, and they just sort of converged. She just left her job of 20 years, and I was unsatisfied with corporate life.

What is the biggest kick you get out of doing business in Newton?
It’s that our customers are our friends and neighbors.

Who inspires you?
Eunice [my wife]. All the work is just to make her as proud as I can, and make her as happy as possible.

What is your biggest business challenge?
Creating a business where we don’t have to be here 7 days a week.

What do you know for sure?
Nothing. (Smiles.) …
Business is much different from what we expected when we opened. It evolves every year, and you never know when good employees are going to come and go.

What do you do when your well is empty/you need to recharge your batteries?
I vege in front of the TV.

What one piece of advice would you offer a new/prospective Newton business owner?
Do more homework. It’s gonna be twice as hard as you think. And if you don’t have one, find a partner.

What do you want your customers to know about you?
I think they pretty much know our whole lives already (laughter). …And, we really do value and respect them.

What are your favorite stops in Newton?
Buff’s Pub, DePasquale’s Sausage, Cabot Woods with the dogs