We are proud to continue our Local Legends business spotlight with our friends at Busken Bakery based in Cincinnati, Ohio!
We think the term small business is a little misleading. They're not small and typically they are more than a business; they are a passion. As a family owned business (since 1896) we at Royal Cup love the independent business owners who work so hard and provide the stable backbone for our amazing nation.
This month we talk with a business who's baked goods have been a staple of the city of Cincinnati for 80+ years; Busken Bakery! These great folks have been passionately serving the 'Nati for a long time. If you live in the southwest Ohio area you know how amazing this place is! Everyone welcome Busken!
Tell us a little about your background and Busken Bakery.
Joe Busken, Sr. started the business in 1928 as a means to feed his family. He had no intention of becoming a baker, let alone starting a company that would later become a Cincinnati icon; he just needed to pay the bills and keep his family happy. His father had owned a small bakery in Oklahoma City during his childhood so Joe knew what the business entailed and knew it was something he could do. Joe baked in the middle of the night and his wife, Daisie, would sell during the day. Over time, Joe’s sons joined the business and helped it grow into the well-known company it is today.
What all do you offer on your menu?
As a full-line retail bakery we offer a multitude of baked goods. On a daily basis we have a variety of fresh donuts, Danish, coffee cakes, cookies, pies, breads, rolls, eclairs, petit fours, sweet breads, brownies, muffins, sheet cakes, cinnamon rolls, and dinner cakes. We also offer specialty items like Paczkis during Lent and Schnecken during Christmas and Easter.
What would you say is your most popular item on the menu?
Our most popular item would have to be our original iced cookies that change their look depending on the season. The standard is a yellow iced cookie with a smile face but during Halloween they turn into orange iced jack-o’-lanterns, Christmas trees throughout December, hearts for Valentine’s Day, shamrocks for St. Patty’s day, eggs for Easter and during the summer they are stamped with the wishbone “C” as the Official Cookie of the Cincinnati Reds. These cookies can also be adorned with company logos, wedding monograms, personal pictures, etc. for any special occasion. Right now we’re gearing up for our Presidential Cookie Poll where we have the cookies hand stamped with a caricature of each candidate and every cookie purchased counts as a “vote”. The cookie poll has correctly predicted the presidential election since 1984.
What Royal Cup Coffee or Tea do you serve at Busken?
We our Royal cup's European blend labeled as our popular "Busken" Blend. We also offer Royal Cup's Rainforest Bold as our dark coffee option. For those who want a little less "get up and go" we have Royal Cup's Gourmet decaf. And of course we have Royal Cup's iced tea for a nice refresher and Mighty Leaf flavored hot teas to compliment any breakfast.
If you are unfortunate enough to not live in the Cincy area how can a hungry consumer get their hands on some delicious Busken baked goods? (Asking for a friend)
Head over to www.busken.com to place an order! Not all items can be shipped but there’s enough to get a solid Busken fix if you’re not in the area.
What would you say separates you from other bakeries?
At Busken we love to have fun and our employees stick around because of that (the longest tenured employee has worked here for over 40 years!). Our bakers are comedians and storytellers, Dan and Brian Busken, President and Vice President respectively, are notorious for playing pranks both within the company and with local competitors, and our witty advertising never gets stale (pun intended).
If you could give someone a one sentence summary on why should stop by Busken what would it be?
For 88 years, Busken Bakery has been providing guests with quality products, handmade by trusted Busken bakers, served fresh daily by a friendly staff with a flair for fun…our mission: create joy in all of life’s moments.
Thank you Busken Bakery for being a loyal Royal Cup partner and for supplying the midwest with the finest baked goods around!
