Glasgow's Deanston Bakery owner tells his story

Come 10 o’clock on Saturday morning, you’re sure to find a long queue that snakes around the corner from the Deanston Bakery in Shawlands as sleepy locals look to start their weekend right.

Pictured: Owner Yuriy Kachak outside his Deanston Drive shop

Yuriy Kachack, who both owns and works in the bakery, said: “I remember the first day that the shop opened.

“I had only been selling my bakes at the Parklane or Partick Farmers markets before then.

“My wife wasn’t feeling well, so I was the only member of staff on shift.

“When I had finished baking and opened the doors for the first time there was already a queue waiting outside.

“I haven’t done another market since.”

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Pictured: Deanston sourdough, a weekend breakfast essential.

It’s true that the Deanston Bakery’s tiny shop has fast become an integral part of the local community, but this impressive success has sprouted from much more humble beginnings.

Yuriy said: “Four years ago my family decided to move to Glasgow after 15 years in London looking for a better quality of life and place to raise our children.

“I initially landed a head chef’s job but didn’t enjoy the kitchen environment.

“I had done a little baking in my spare time before then and decided that if this was going to be a big year of change for us anyway then I should go ahead and try it full time.

“I purchased an oven for my living room and went on to sell my bakes from there for the next few months.”

Pictured: The Deanston team hard at work (Image: free)

A winning combination of encouragement from fellow small businesses and a strong vision for what his shop should be is what lead Yuriy to where he is today and inspires him to give the same platform to other independent producers.

He said: “When I was selling at Park Lane, I would be at a stall beside Alisa from Dear Green Coffee who would encourage me and say, ‘You could easily open your own shop’.

“We’re so lucky to have been supported like that and we try to do the same for small scale companies at the bakery whether that’s Mossgiel milk or local honey.

“For me, what I always wanted to achieve was having a simple corner shop bakery that makes everyday things for people.

“I never wanted to make it to be fancy or look like a patisserie.

“I always ask myself questions like, ‘How much would I be willing to pay for this bread?’ or ‘Would I choose to eat that?’ depending on what the answer is then we might need to rethink.

“And, quite frankly, I could never call myself an artisan baker anyway, because I’ve never really known what I was doing.”

Pictured: The hypnotic swirls of Deanston's cinnamon buns

A complete lack of pretension and the welcoming atmosphere created by friendly staff members lend themselves greatly to the unique charm of the Deanston Bakery.

When it comes to neighbourly love? For Yuriy the feeling is very much mutual.

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Pictured: A baker's job is no piece of cake

He said: “What’s great about Glasgow is that compared to the rest of the UK, it isn’t saturated with chains.

“Having said that, I think Shawlands is the best part of the city and our customers are all lovely.

“It’s not a glamorous job by any means and we work very hard, but when people are so supportive of us it makes it all worthwhile.”

“I think a lot of people in this modern age have the perception that bigger is better or that you’re a failure if you aren’t constantly looking to expand but, respectfully, I disagree.

“That doesn’t sit right with me.

“So much of what we do when we’re baking comes from instinct or touch that I wouldn’t want to do it on a larger scale.

“As we stand, I’m very grateful to be where we are now and doing what we do.”

The Deanston Bakery can be found at 167 Deanston Drive in Shawlands.

For more information click here.