Background

Main Street Bakery is a beloved local bakery and catering business run by Chef Chuck, whose passion for food and community is at the heart of every dish. The original website, built on WordPress years ago, was no longer functional, modern, or representative of the shop’s character. I was brought on to reimagine and rebuild the site on a more user-friendly platform, SquareSpace, ensuring the chef and his staff could easily manage content updates moving forward.

My role included:

• Conducting stakeholder interviews and content audits

• Rewriting and reorganizing all website content

• Designing and developing the new site in SquareSpace

• Creating original photography and video assets

• Introducing a refreshed brand system rooted in the bakery’s physical aesthetic

• Designing a mobile-first, responsive experience

• Editing and putting together the promotional video

Website

TOOLS USED

Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
SquareSpace

Website Design & Build

The original site had several major issues:

• Broken links and outdated content

• Grainy, unprofessional imagery

• Missing or buried key information such as policies and forms

• Lack of responsive design, making it difficult to use on mobile devices

• Aesthetic disconnect from the bakery’s inviting, French-inspired interior

After conversations with Chef Chuck and his staff, I learned the biggest pain point was the inability to make timely updates. The old site relied on a third-party webmaster who was often unavailable. We migrated to SquareSpace for its visual editor and ease of use, allowing in-house staff to update menus, forms, and images on their own.

Content-wise, it was important to capture the chef’s culinary ethos: supporting local farms, cooking with the seasons, donating to the food bank, and creating a welcoming experience for all. I rewrote the entire website to align with this philosophy and voice.

Visual Identity

I drew inspiration from the interior of the bakery—decorated in warm yellow tones, checkerboard flooring, and French provincial accents. The new site uses:

• Light yellow callouts and footer backgrounds

• Red headlines that echo the bakery’s branding

• Checkerboard patterns used subtly as borders and background textures

Photography

I shot and edited new photographs of the food, kitchen, and staff. All old stock and outdated photos were replaced with high-resolution, original images that reflect the current menu and atmosphere.

Content Organization

Every page was rewritten for clarity and professionalism. Policies, contact forms, and new client documents are now easy to find. The mobile experience was prioritized, with clean layouts and intuitive navigation at every breakpoint.

Homepage Experience

The homepage features:

• Hero section with looping video footage of the storefront and signage

• Prominent calls-to-action linking to about, menu/bakery, and video

• Contact information, open hours, social links

Videos

TOOLS USED

Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Media Encoder
Adobe Premiere Pro
Canon EOS R
DJI Mic
iPhone 14 Pro

Feature Video: "Baking with Chef Chuck"

With the help of a small video crew, I produced and fully edited a short-form feature video that highlights the heart of Main Street Bakery through scenes of downtown, behind-the-scenes prep, and an interview with Chef Chuck. I handled all aspects of post-production, including color and lighting correction, sound balancing, music selection and editing, and graphics, ensuring the final piece was cohesive and emotionally resonant. The background music was carefully edited and timed to match the flow and pacing of the footage, enhancing the narrative and emotional tone.

The final video weaves together:

• Scenic footage of downtown and the bakery’s exterior

• Behind-the-scenes shots of prep and baking

• A personal interview with Chef Chuck

This piece captures the warmth, dedication, and community-centered spirit of the bakery through both visuals and storytelling.

Social Media Reels

To help expand the bakery’s online presence and engage a broader audience, I created a series of short-form videos tailored for Instagram and Facebook. Each reel was designed to capture the warmth and energy of Main Street Bakery, highlighting its most popular dishes, inviting atmosphere, and the friendly chef behind the counter. These reels were crafted to be both visually compelling and platform-optimized for shareability and reach.

To help extend the brand’s reach, I created:

• A general bakery promo reel

• A breakfast hour spotlight

• A lunch offerings highlight

Each reel is optimized for Instagram and Facebook and designed to show the vibe, staff, and crowd-favorite dishes.

Impact

The response to the new website was overwhelmingly positive. The chef and his team were moved to tears upon seeing the site go live. They immediately noticed an increase in online inquiries and catering requests.

According to analytics:

• Over 70% of users now visit via mobile devices, confirming the value of the responsive design

• Form submissions for orders and catering requests have steadily increased

This project reaffirmed how deeply a thoughtfully designed website can capture the spirit of a small business and serve as a powerful tool for growth and connection.