Walking through the crisp autumn air in, you stop in front of a door with fogged up glass that reads “Blessed Little Kitchen” with a cross instead of the Ts.

As you step inside, you see family photos and framed inspirational phrases hung in an organized manner. The walls are a calming light blue and the petite white chairs and tables line up alongside the large windows with adorable centerpieces. The glowing smiles on the employees face gives the bakery a homey feel.

Blessed Little Kitchen is a new bakery owned by Mary Holzkopf on Route 47. They recently had their grand opening on Nov. 2.

“[The grand opening] was awesome! We had over 1,000 people come. It was really good, it was busy the whole time; [there was always] a customer in the store and it was just really fun,” Holzkopf said. The citizens of Huntley have clearly found their new sweet stache.

Holzkopf has been baking for over 20 years and according to her, she is, 100% self-taught. Being a mom of five, she is somehow able to balance spending time at the bakery and with her kids.

“My husband helps me a lot and I make sure that I am always home for dinner and bedtime. Then after I put the kids to bed I am here until whatever hour in the morning. The morning staff [comes] in at 8 [a.m.] to open for me, and I am able to get my kids on the bus,” Holzkopf said. 

In a bakery consisting of sugar, decorative cookies, and creative cakes, she has to say her favorite items to bake are cookies. 

For her, baking isn’t the only reason she wanted to start a bakery. “Having all sorts of people from all walks of life coming in and getting to know them and having them turn from customers to friends. Just connecting to the community,” Holzkopf said.

Blessed Little Kitchen unique because of their homemade flavors, but also because of their religious focus. 

“I believe that you should just be shamelessly who you are in life regardless of whatever you believe. And that everyone should be welcome no matter what you believe, no matter where you come from. That you can be who you are and you can be accepted. Even if we are different we are still connected,” Holzkopf said.

This also played a role in the naming of her bakery.

“I am a faith-based woman, and I really wanted to [be] who I am and encompass that in every aspect of my business. [My] whole life is blessed I think that we all are blessed if we just take the time to see it. [Every morning we pray] that every single person who walks in the door feels more blessed leaving than [they did] when they come in,” Holzkopf said.

Holzkopf’s main focus is to make a positive impact on all of her daily customers and to continue doing what she loves. With these wholesome motives, Blessed Little Kitchen is truly blessed.