From Home Kitchen to Community Favorite: The Story of Porchlight Bread Company
In a town that values connection, local roots, and good food, it’s no surprise that a small cottage bakery is quickly becoming a community favorite. Porchlight Bread Company, created by longtime Bloomington-Normal resident Renee Kresl, has grown from a personal hobby into a warm and welcoming presence in the local food scene.
How It All Began
Renee’s love for baking comes from her big Italian family, where feeding people is simply another way of showing you care. For years she baked for fun, sharing treats with friends, family, and anyone who needed a pick-me-up. But sourdough became something special. What started as a personal experiment—just making loaves for her household—soon turned into gifts for others, and eventually the idea for a cottage bakery.
She discovered she could legally run a home-based bakery in Illinois, and by June 2025, Porchlight Bread Company officially opened.
A Weekly Menu That Brings People Back
Today, Renee offers a rotating weekly menu using Simply Bread, a platform that makes ordering easy. Her pickups run twice a week:
Wednesdays feature simple staples like classic sourdough, one cookie flavor, and sourdough pizza crusts.
Saturdays bring a bigger menu—flavored sourdoughs, scones, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and other seasonal treats.
Because sourdough requires a two-day process, Renee plans her entire week around feeding her starter, prepping dough, baking loaves the night before pickup, and finishing pastries early the next morning—often before or during the start of her full-time workday.
Growing Through Word of Mouth
What began with a few friends ordering quickly expanded. Instagram, Facebook, and Nextdoor helped her reach new customers, and soon strangers were stopping by her porch for pickups. Many have become loyal regulars—one customer has ordered nearly every week since the business began.
Attending local vendor fairs has also been a highlight. Meeting customers face-to-face, hearing how much they enjoy her bread, and connecting with other makers has fueled her motivation. These interactions reminded Renee why she started in the first place: not just to bake, but to rebuild a sense of community as her kids grow older and life shifts.
Simple Ingredients, Made with Intention
At the heart of Porchlight Bread Company is a commitment to whole, real ingredients. Renee and her family set out to reduce processed foods at home, and baking sourdough became a natural fit.
Her menu reflects that philosophy—no fillers, no complicated ingredients. Just flour, butter, milk, sugar, and time. It’s food that feels homemade because it is.
Customer favorites include:
Sourdough cinnamon rolls – impressive, fluffy, and deeply satisfying
Brown butter chocolate chip cookies – rich and addictive
Jalapeño cheddar sourdough – her husband’s top request
Why Bloomington-Normal?
Although Renee grew up in the Chicago suburbs, Bloomington-Normal quickly became home after she came to ISU in 2001. It offered everything she needed—opportunity, community, and the perfect place to raise four kids.
She loves that the town feels small enough that you’ll always run into someone you know, but big enough to offer amenities and experiences without the headaches of big-city living.
A Bakery That Feels Like a Gift
More than anything, Porchlight Bread Company has given Renee something she didn’t realize she was missing: connection. Baking has become a bridge back to people—neighbors, new friends, and community members she may never have met otherwise.
“It’s been a real gift,” she says. “Not just baking, but knowing I’m giving people food made with care and simple ingredients.”
Porchlight Bread Company may be small, but it’s already making a big impact—one loaf, one cinnamon roll, and one porch pickup at a time.