BALTIMORE — It is success you can smell, literally.
Ovenbird Bakery was born during the pandemic.
Keiller Kyle was a conservationist, holding a master's in community ecology when he began experimenting with baking sourdough bread.
Like many of us, he dug deep into his hobbies during the pandemic. "Everyone has a hobby, and baking bread—particularly sourdough bread—was mine, although there are some subtle similarities with my chosen profession,” Kyle said.
“Baking is an extremely exact science, and it requires tremendous practice and attention to detail, which is something I learned while studying the movements of birds in their habitats. Achieving success once has absolutely no bearing on repeating that achievement a second time, because factors such as temperature, humidity, and the actions of the baker matter significantly. Over time, I became obsessed with producing the perfect loaf of bread, and soon my friends and family members had all they could handle.”
What started as selling to people in the community grew to opening his first bakery in Little Italy in 2020. He opened another in Highlandtown.
Now, 5 years later, the 3rd Ovenbird Bakery is set to open at The Rotunda in Hampden.
It'll be part of a mixed-use space on West 40th Street, featuring retail spots, commercial office spaces, nearly 380 multifamily units, an on-site parking garage, and surface parking spaces.
The Ovenbird concept specializes in artisan bread and pastries, including European-style sourdough breads and items infused with spices and flavors from Turkey, the Mediterranean, and other places around the world that bring exotic flavors and uniqueness that cannot be replicated locally.
Borrowing from the heritage of Kyle’s Turkey-born wife, Nadire Duru, Ovenbird Bakery will provide separation from area bakeries by offering Turkish-style beverages.
“I did not have the advantage of learning the art of baking from the apron strings of my grandmother or mother when growing up, but my parents instilled something significantly more essential—entrepreneurship,” Kyle explained. “My mom and dad opened their own business in the late 1980s, and it remains successful today.
“Fresh baked goods put smiles on people’s faces, and who can resist the perfect pastry or piece of bread?” stated Eric Ylitalo, Senior Managing Director, Leasing, MCB Real Estate. “We love Kyle’s backstory and passion, but more importantly, he has demonstrated the ability to build a successful business from scratch and mold it into a community treasure with a loyal following."
WMAR-2 News Local Eats team may have to make a stop there soon.
