Athens Bread Company is a local bakery owned by Pastry Chef Carly Willison and her partner Dane Waller. Her passion is handcrafting fundamental breads and pastries using traditional techniques.

Our products are made from ingredients as local as we can get them, and our methods are constantly evolving towards greater consistency, sustainability, and deliciousness. The recipes we use are the product of years of trial, error, and experimentation. Everything in our bakery is shaped, chopped, weighed, sprinkled, crumbled, sliced and rolled by hand.

We believe that good baking is a mix of art and science, craft and chemistry. We bring everything we’ve got to the making of our products. We hope you can taste the difference.

Athens Bread Company was founded by Doug Wistendahl in 2014. Previously a lawyer in New York City, Doug brought his love of baking back to Athens and ran the shop until his retirement in 2021.

Bread Baker Tim McKenna purchased Athens Bread Company in 2021 and ran it until July of 2026. His interest in food began at home in the kitchen, a passion that quickly turned professional when he joined New York City butcher shop Hudson & Charles. He concluded his training there as a butcher (his sausages got a write-up in the New Yorker!), and from meat he turned to bread. He discovered his calling as a baker at the popular Saraghina Bakery in Brooklyn.

In July of 2026, Tim sold the bakery to local Pastry Chef Carly Willison, and her partner Dane Waller. Carly had worked at Athens Bread Company from 2018 until 2023 where she introduced a wide variety of new pastries, specialty cakes, and seasonal specials using local ingredients. Carly started at Hocking College in the Baking & Pastry Arts Program, graduating in 2017 and working at many local eateries around Athens. You may remember her from local favorites such as West Side Wingery and Fluff Bakery.

Community Engagement

We believe in sustainable baking practices and reducing waste.

Every week we donate our extra loaves and pastries to United Campus Ministry, and we’re always working to source more local ingredients and strengthen ties within the community. We use Florence Creamery milk, Laurel Valley cheeses, High Bottom Farm eggs, and Honeyrun Farms honey in many of our products; we’ve supplied various local restaurants and cafés with our bread and pastries. If you’re interested in partnering with Athens Bread Company, stop by our shop or shoot Carly an email: carly@athensbreadcompany.com