Capuchins roll out On the Rise retail store and bakery on Gratiot

On McClellan at Gratiot, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen has opened a storefront bakery called On the Rise.

The 2,300-square-foot space, located in a building developed by Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance, has a retail store on McClellan, while preparation and baking takes place in the half that faces Gratiot.

The Capuchins started the baking program three years ago at the soup kitchen. Dubbed ROPE (Reaching Our Everyday Potential), it is intended to train and employ men coming out of prison or a treatment program. The bakery will continue to supply area churches with its cookies, bread, pies and brownies, but the On the Rise location will enable the goods to reach a wider market.

Edward Collins, Jr. (pictured above) started with the program three years ago and is now a supervisor. "Here, we have more of a commercial environment (than at the soup kitchen)," he says. "It gives us a better opportunity to 'grow up'."

The program trains seven bakers at a time. They live in housing provided by the Capuchins, attend work and receive counseling for the two years they stay in the program.

Brother Ray Stadmeyer says the Capuchins operated a soup kitchen for 75 years, but felt obligated to branch out in recent years with projects such as ROPE and Earthworks Urban Farm. "We felt like we had to do more," he says. "It wasn't enough just to feed (people)."

At On the Rise, a large loaf of bread costs $3 and cakes and pies $6. Earthworks jams and jellies are also available, and St. Alysious' Canticle Cafe fair trade coffee is served.

On the Rise is open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. It is at 6110 McClellan at Gratiot, just west of the I-94 Gratiot exit. Call 313-922-8510. Special orders are welcomed.

Source: Brother Ray Stadmeyer and Edward Collins, Jr., On the Rise Bakery
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh