Celebrating Six Sweet Years: The Moon Bakeshop's Journey in Downtown Huntsville
This week, we had the privilege of speaking with Maddie Watkins, the owner of The Moon Bakeshop! What started as a simple idea has blossomed into a thriving family business with a team of talented bakers and baristas.
Located on Jefferson Street, The Moon Bakeshop recently celebrated its sixth anniversary, marking six years of serving up delicious, made-from-scratch treats in the heart of Downtown Huntsville. This family-owned business truly adds the extra sprinkles to our downtown district!
The DHI team certainly enjoys indulging in their creations.
Rob’s Pick – Ham and Cheese Croissant
Karla’s Pick – Protein Power Bar
Anna’s Pick – Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie
FROM DREAM TO REALITY
Reflecting on their journey, Maddie shared how The Moon Bakeshop came to be:
“We first had the idea to open The Moon Bakeshop around 2017. We traveled a lot and loved visiting downtown bakeries that felt warm, welcoming, and full of scratch-made food and good coffee. We thought, ‘This is what we want to do.’ My husband and I wanted to work together and build a bakery, and we opened our doors in 2019.”
Why Downtown Huntsville? Maddie and her husband knew exactly where they wanted to set up shop. “I'm originally from Huntsville, but we were living in Nashville at the time. We could see Huntsville was on a path of growth and development, and we said, ‘We need to get in now because this place is going to be really cool!’”
GROWING A BUSINESS & A FAMILY
The early days were anything but easy:
“When we first opened, it was just my husband, my family, and me—we couldn't afford to hire anyone else. It was a lot more work than we expected! I was also nine months pregnant, and my daughter was born just a week after we opened! My brothers worked the front, and my sisters-in-law helped bake—it was truly a family effort. Over time, we realized we needed a team, and we slowly brought in new people. Some of our original bakers are still with us today, and we are so thankful!”
CREATING NEW & UNIQUE TREATS
The menu at The Moon Bakeshop is ever-evolving, thanks to their creative team:
“We collaborate with our team of bakers. There's 5-6 of us and they’ve been with us for years now! If someone has an idea, we say, ‘That sounds great! Let’s try it!’ Even if it doesn’t sound great, we’ll try it anyway! Most of the time, it works out. Our bakers have incredible flavor profiles and skills. We also get inspiration from bakeries around the world. We’ll see something cool happening in Germany or online and think, ‘Let’s try that—but with a Moon Bakeshop twist!’”
—————————————————————————————————————- MEMORABLE MOMENTS & LASTING IMPACT
Beyond baking, The Moon Bakeshop has become an integral part of customers’ lives:
“Over the years, our family has grown, and we’ve been able to watch our customers’ families grow, too. We’re often the first place a new mom brings her baby, or where families come to remember a loved one by ordering their favorite treat. Those moments make us want to be here forever. No matter what challenges come our way, we will fight to stay.”
—————————————————————————————————————- OVERCOMING CHALLENGES WITH JOY
Running a business isn’t always easy, but Maddie remains focused on one key goal:
“We want to be a place of joy. I operate by making sure everyone feels valued—our team and our customers. From day one, our customers haven’t hesitated to share their opinions, and that helps us to continue improving.”
—————————————————————————————————————- LOOKING AHEAD
As The Moon Bakeshop continues to grow, Maddie and her team remain committed to serving up delicious treats and warm memories in Downtown Huntsville. Congratulations on six incredible years—here’s to many more!