When Catarina Cowden opened Little Rye Bakehouse on Broadway in Kingston in early 2023, the 200-square-foot storefront quickly became part of the city’s morning rhythms. Weekends meant a line out the door, a tray of still-warm pastries disappearing in minutes, and a few lucky souls walking out with slices of Cowden’s salted maple pie—the cult favorite made with Ghent-based Maple Leaf Sugaring syrup and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. The space was tiny—more pie nook than bakery—but it worked.
Behind the scenes, though, Cowden and her partner, Pakt veteran Dan Mazza, were still baking out of Tubby’s bar kitchen next door, navigating the choreography of a shared space. Later, they shifted to the kitchen underneath Cheese Louise, but the limitations persisted. After years of renting from other people, Cowden had reached the point where she needed a space built for the way she actually bakes.
The shift arrived quickly. A casual conversation with Christina Kravig of Free 2 Thrift—Little Rye’s new neighbor—pointed her toward a project underway in the Barrel Factory around the block. “One thing led to another, and now we just signed our lease at 35 Bruyn Street,” Cowden says.
Catarina Cowden outside the doors of the new Little Rye Bakehouse kitchen.
But the new kitchen is more than back-of-house practicality. It’s the chance to finally invite people into the work. “I’ve always wanted my own space to invite fellow pie-baking enthusiasts into,” Cowden says. “While our tiny little storefront is perfect in every other way, there’s not exactly the space for a teaching moment. Though many enthusiastic tips and pie techniques have been shared in that space.” At Bruyn Street, Cowden envisions pie-making classes, kids’ baking classes, and workshops taught by industry friends in their particular specialties. Classes and events will likely begin by spring.
The new kitchen will also open for weekday coffee and pastries—a quiet morning option while the bakers are at work. With a large affordable-housing complex being built next door, Cowden wants neighbors to be able to wander in for a morning bun and a cup of coffee during the week.
Little Rye Bakehouse on Broadway is staying put.
For Little Rye regulars: the Broadway storefront isn’t going anywhere. It will remain the bakery’s brick-and-mortar home, with the same pastries, the same hours, and the same salted maple slices that vanish by noon. The only change is where the baking happens.
To make the build-out possible, Little Rye has launched a community-funding campaign through NuMarket, a platform that lets customers “buy in” and receive 120 percent back in store credit over time. Higher-tier buy-ins come with members-only perks: early access to seasonal specials, exclusive classes, and occasional extras described as “surprises baked just for you.”
“It’s an amazing way for the community to get involved with our growth, and help set us up in our new space, so that we can continue to bring them the pie and pastry they’ve come to love,” says Cowden.
For Cowden, the change is practical and overdue—a bit more space, a bit more ease. Little Rye carries on, just better equipped for the mornings ahead.
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