Why open a bakery in Georgetown as opposed to a more established neighborhood?

Lynn Christensen, the owner, found the space and fell in love. The venture was a huge leap of faith. It's a gritty little nook in a gritty part of town, with a little sugar sprinkled on it. Five years into it, we're doing great.

How would you characterize the clientele?

Most of our clients are blue-collar guys working for sanitation or the airport or one of the warehouses in Sodo. We also feed 15 or so homeless people a day. Helen [at the next table] is a homeless Native American from Alaska. Last year we got her a social worker and her kids bought her a plane ticket home, but she refused to go. Her kids still call us every few months to see if she's okay.

How do your customers feel about you seating and serving homeless people?

Some are fine with it; others disapprove because they'd like to see this area gentrified. I don't see that happening. In the past few years, the city's tried to make Georgetown a strip zone, garbage dump, and airport annex. We're not the next Fremont.

What's your favorite aspect of this job?

I love the rapport with the customers. People will call me at 7:00 a.m. and request their favorite baked goods and I'll pop them in the oven. Our service is very personalized here and everything is baked fresh daily.