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Photos by Peter Crouser
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Owner Mark Bowles brings his artisan baked goods to downtown Prior Lake.
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Mark Bowles may have learned classic French pastry techniques when he was working his way up to sous-chef at The Sofitel, but it was the nine years he spent in Europe that really inspired him to open a place in his community where people could gather to enjoy fresh-baked goods—and each other’s company. The former tennis pro and Cordon Bleu grad opened Edelweiss Bakery in 2005, and it’s been a cornerstone in the development of Prior Lake’s downtown in recent years.
The quality of Bowles’s pastries are unrivaled in the south metro. One bite into his flaky milk chocolate-pistachio Danish and it’s clear why customers from nearby suburbs have been begging him to open shops in their neighborhoods. His secret? “I use a croissant dough in my Danishes,” says Bowles. “That’s what gives it that flakiness.”
Edelweiss’s Danishes and croissants sell out on most days, and the breakfast sandwiches made with those croissants come highly recommended by locals. The bakery’s fresh-baked breads—from classic French baguettes to sourdough to cranberry-walnut—elevate the sandwiches on the lunch menu to excellence. But Edelweiss offers more than great food. Housed in a quaint corner building made of brick, the bakery has a warm interior that invites visitors to linger long after they’ve finished eating. Customers stay for long conversations or work on laptops into the afternoon.
“In Europe, a bakery is the focal point in each city or neighborhood,” says Bowles. “I wanted to bring that to Prior Lake. We draw people from a lot of different areas for the atmosphere. We train staff to get to know everyone’s name.”
The staff Bowles refers to includes six full-time and 16 part-time employees, but he remembers the early days when he and his wife, Julie—with their two young daughters in tow—had only a cashier and dishwasher.
“In the very beginning, the kids would be there, one in the crib in the back, and my 4-year-old bussing tables,” recalls Bowles. Then, a few years after they opened, just when they were starting to get their footing, the recession hit hard. But the challenges only solidified Bowles’s determination to succeed.
With the help of some savvy local business members, the Prior Lake Chamber of Commerce, and even the encouragement of the mayor, Bowles sought investment capital and started marketing in a deliberate way instead of depending on word of mouth. This, combined with a high-quality product and good old-fashioned customer service, saw Bowles through the hard times and helped him create a sustainable business that now includes a baker, two pastry cooks-in-training, and a sandwich maker.
“I feel really blessed right now,” he says, referring to the extra time he has with his daughters, now 14 and 16. “I have a few more years with my girls. The time goes too fast.”
16186 Main Ave. SE, 952-440-2773, edelweissbakery.net
