Stone Mill Bread – “Dan the Bread Man”

 

Dan Danztler pulls into his parking spot with a license plate that makes his introduction easy; “Bread.” With his laid back confidence and pearls of wisdom, we were more than honored that he took time out for our meeting. Dan was an easy choice to highlight. His local veteran owned company makes honest fresh ingredients sourced from farms here in Northwest Arkansas.

After the  Vietnam War, Dan decided he didn’t want to live in his hometown any longer and was on the hunt for his next adventure as a young man. One of his first stops was to interview for a buyer position in Bentonville. He landed the job, but once he made it back to his hotel room to celebrate, he had an epiphany; he thought, “This is terrible, I can’t live here. I am single and if I take this job, I won’t find my wife.” At that time Bentonville was home to only 5,000 people and he happened to be staying at the only hotel in the city.

After that night, he landed in Fayetteville and worked at the local radio station for some time. Then, he moved to Little Rock and got into investment banking. He remained there for 17 years as what they called “bond daddies.” At the age of 30 he became a Christian and met a beautiful Christian woman. Together, they moved back to Fayetteville.

He knew he wanted to do something honest and hardworking all while honoring his newly found faith.  During that time he read an inspirational passage that discussed leading a quiet, peaceful life and working with your hands. He thought to himself, “I can’t drive a truck, drive a nail and I don’t have the brain power to be a surgeon.” After lunch with a friend one day, he was given a piece of bread for his trip home. While eating the bread, a lightbulb went off. He came home and told his wife about the idea. She eventually agreed, and they cashed in their IRA and the rest is history. When asked how they came up with the name “Stone Mill Bread”, he pointed inside the window where they would grind their own grain to make flour. They would buy wheat berries and grind the flour in a stone burr grain mill. So they decided to name the café Stone Mill Bread.

Dan and his wife distributed samples for the first ten years to gain exposure and brand recognition.  They would go to Farmer’s Market or Expos to give away bread. They found vendors that were willing to sell their bread for a percentage. The vendors got their bread out to people who otherwise might not have found it.

I asked Dan what piece of advice would he give to a recent college graduate that aspired to be an entrepreneur. He replied, “I think you have to go with your gut, and have at least twenty-four months of operating expenses. It took me about eighteen months to turn a profit.” When asked if he would do anything differently in his career, he answered endearingly, “I don’t think so,  anything I would change would mean I would not have met my wife.” It’s safe to say that his determination to be his own boss and his grit have been the key driving forces in his life as an entrepreneur.

Their menu consists of a wide variety of soups, sandwiches, and sweet treats. They have been a ‘design your own sandwich’ establishment from day one. They offer at least 8-10 delicious homemade soups. The desserts range from scones, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and a line of sweet breads such as; pumpkin, sour cream pecan, banana walnut, blueberry, strawberry, and many more. Everything on the menu is made from their own recipes. They offer online ordering for home delivery, dine in or drive through, and catering. All of these options make their scrumptious goodies easily accessible.

Stone Mill Bread can be found in some of your favorite local stores such as; Whole Foods, Harps, Allen’s and more. They have four drivers that deliver all over Northwest Arkansas. They even ship bread all over Northeastern and Southern Arkansas. They have been at the original location for 23 years and are considered a staple in Northwest Arkansas.

“Those whose hands are not idle know that they honour God, because they keep his commandment to be gainfully employed.” -Thessalonians 4:11-12

Business Feature – Greenbird Design

Meet our newest business feature, Carrie Wilson. She is the owner and licensed interior designer at Greenbird Design. Carrie is well known in the Northwest Arkansas area and has delivered nothing but professionalism over the last 15+ years. Greenbird Design provides professional interior design services from conceptual layouts to managing all phases of construction. They work alongside the client every step of the way. 

Wilson attended Kansas State University from 1997-1999 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design. Prior to Kansas State, she attended JCCC and graduated in 1997. As a child, she clearly remembers being creative with anything she could find. “My dad told me I had shoe boxes full of paper and would sit for hours cutting paper to make objects and create patterns,” Carrie stated. This is one of those cases that she knew from the start what her career path would be. Wilson said “I always remember rearranging furniture and helping people with color palates at a young age. I could see what a potential space could look like when I walked into a room.”  

Prior to Greenbird Design, Carrie spent over 14 years honing her design skills in a well-established architectural firm. The firm taught her how real world architecture and construction is designed and executed. “Without the previous experience and amazing mentors at that firm, I would have struggled with execution of functional design,” Wilson stated. Today, her portfolio boasts more than 150 completed projects. When asked what her favorite piece/project she was most proud of in her portfolio she said Hershey Company of Bentonville, Arkansas. “They were a dream client,” Carrie said. Executive Flooring Solutions was honored to collaborate with her on the Hershey building.

Carrie’s brain-child, Greenbird Design, was created to take the sterility out of business environments and create comfortable, fun, functional spaces that foster happy patrons and productive employees. Wilson began to specialize in commercial design when she realized residential interior design was not her strong suit. “I found my passion and went for it,” Carrie stated. 

Many decisions and hours are put into each project. When working with a new client, functionality is her go to. Appeal is always a plus, but Carrie says function always. “You can have the most beautiful space and if it doesn’t work, your client will never be happy. You can make anything appealing but you can’t always make something function for the end user,” Wilson said. 

In today’s industry, things change daily. This can be hard at times to try and keep up with the ins and outs of any design. Her reply to keeping up with all the changes was “research, research, research!” A vast majority of her time is spent researching new materials and products so she can better serve her clients and their needs. “If you’re not knowledgeable on what a material can do and how it functions, you’re doing your client and the project an injustice,” Carrie said. 

Inspiration is also key when working in the interior design field. It can come from anywhere at any time. Carrie tries to stay away from social media formats for ideas. “I feel social media can cloud your vision which prohibits exploration outside of that boundary,” she stated. Inspiration can strike differently for each client. One of her most recent projects was at the Farmington Public Library. The children’s reading area has a wall with circular cut outs that host seating areas for children and rings of color around each circle. Carrie said “The idea came from lightning bugs on a summer evening. The glow from the lighting bugs created the colored circle rings and the overall look of the lightning bugs created the floating orbs on the wall.”  The smallest of inspirations can lead to thinking outside the box. 

Carrie is an avid volunteer, donating her time and skills alongside other local interior designers. This led her to help with the Magdalene Serenity House, a home for women who are survivors of sexual exploitation and addiction. She is past chair of the Northwest Arkansas Design Community of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Outside of work, Wilson enjoys teaching yoga and spending as much time with her daughter and husband as she can. She enjoys the outdoors, including hiking, kayaking and camping.

For more information, or to start your future project with a worthy and reliable designer, make sure to contact Carrie Wilson at Greenbird Design!

www.greenbird.design

 

Doomsday Coffee & Roasterie

It is Doomsday Coffee and Roasterie’s mission to provide the highest quality of coffee and service in Northwest Arkansas. Doomsday works directly with non-profit organizations dedicated in assisting veterans with PTSD and TBI. Doomsday will donate $1 for every whole bean coffee sold online and in stores to Sheep Dog Impact Assistance providing treatment to struggling veterans.

Located at 436 W Watson St in Fayetteville, AR, this local coffee shop opened in July of 2017 and serves various coffee drinks and food while providing support for veterans. Jason Collins, co-owner and husband to Morales-Lozano, struggled with PTSD as well as depression when he returned from his service. “We named our shop Doomsday because we wanted to bring attention to the high suicide rate among Veterans. 22 Veterans take their lives daily. It’s Doomsday for them,” Collins said.

Jason started roasting at home as a hobby and for his own consumption. He enjoyed it so much, he went from a 100 gram counter roaster to a 5 kg roaster. Collins does all of his own roasting. Doomsday currently serves coffee at the lobby of the VA hospital in Fayetteville twice a month, free of charge. “Our hope is that all vets waiting for their turn to see a doctor get to enjoy a good cup of coffee,” Collins stated.

Jason joined the Army in May of 1997. He served from 1997-2007 in the 82nd airborne at Ft Bragg, 101st airborne at Ft Campbell and 1st armored division in Wiesbaden, Germany with counter intelligence. His military experience has shown him the benefits of hard work and dedication.

Aside from serving a great cup of coffee, they also have food options. From breakfast tacos & burritos, to waffles, quiches and pastries, there is something for everyone. “Our most popular food item is the breakfast taco by far. People love them so much!” Collins said. They sell about 80 bags of coffee a month and feel so lucky to be in such a caring community. “Fayetteville has embraced us and kept us going. We enjoy what we do so much and are happy to be able to give back to our Veterans.”

For their full menu, store hours and location, check them out on Facebook @Doomsday Coffee and Roasterie or visit their website at https://doomsday-coffee-and-roasterie.square.site/