Nambour home base bakes in breadmaker’s success story

David Mares: “You open a business, you get the local support, it triggers success.”

A decision to back Nambour has paid off in more ways than one for Walter’s Artisan Bread, with owner David Mares crediting the town’s tight-knit support for driving rapid growth beyond the region.

Speaking at the Nambour Chamber of Commerce Coffee Catch-up on April 2, Mr Mares said choosing Nambour as the base for his bakery was a deliberate move.

“I was looking at a few locations, but this was the main location because of the communication that the locals have with businesses,” he said.

That connection, he said, has been the foundation of the business’s success since opening 18 months ago. “The support that we get in Nambour, and I know other businesses in Nambour are the same, they get the local support and it’s been fantastic for us.”

What began as a single bakery in Howard Street has since expanded into locations at Brisbane and the Gold Coast. “This has all come out of our store in Nambour,” Mr Mares said.

The scale of that growth was evident in the lead-up to Easter, with demand for hot cross buns surging. “In the last three weeks, we’ve done in excess of 15,000 buns,” he said. “We smell cinnamon everywhere!”

Mr Mares said his experience as part of the Nambour business community had been overwhelmingly positive – and he actively promoted the town to others.

“I know Nambour’s got a little tag attached to it, but that will run dry because it’s a really, really good place,” he said. “That’s what I tell everyone.”

He said the town’s culture of backing local operators was key to creating sustainable businesses and a stronger main street. “You open a business, you get the local support, it triggers success.”

Walter's Artisan Bread is at 131 Currie Street, Nambour. Phone 0412 217 828 or admin@waltersartisanbread.com.au