By Geena Monahan-For the North Star Reporter
Mario Ferro and Jennifer Howe never expected their home on South Bulfinch Street to become one of North Attleborough’s busiest weekend stops.
Ferro, a longtime construction worker, and Howe, whose career has ranged from engineering to education, began baking bread for fun in their kitchen. What started as a casual hobby quickly grew into Eat Eat Hooray, a small-batch bakery with a loyal – and rapidly growing – following.
The recently engaged couple began their entrepreneurial journey last year with Sip Sip Hooray —which they still have— a converted horse trailer turned into a mobile bartending business. Around the same time, they started experimenting with sourdough, though Howe admits Ferro was the more skilled baker at first.
They soon began selling loaves alongside mocktails at the North Attleborough Farmers Market on Wednesday nights, and noticed a rising demand. Ferro said they initially baked three to five loaves a week for friends, gathering feedback on different flavors and techniques.
“Our friends kept asking ‘When are you going to make more?’ They kept asking for the next batch – the demand was there,” said Ferro. “From there I started to think we might have something good going on here.”
As interest continued to build, Howe went to the Board of Health to secure the permits and certifications to operate a home bakery and expand Eat Eat Hooray.
Production quickly increased to 10 to 12 loaves a week, which usually sold out within a day. Today, Howe and Ferro bake 80 loaves every Thursday – and they’re gone by Saturday, at the latest.
An outdoor farm stand and a new commercial-grade oven that can bake a dozen loaves at once have helped to take their business to the next level. Ferro recently used his carpentry skills to convert a greenhouse into a year-round outdoor stand, complete with heat, allowing the business to continue in the winter.
“He’s the brawn, I’m the decorator,” joked Howe.
The menu has expanded beyond sourdough to include cinnamon rolls, English muffins, bread bowls and brownies.
Life is busy for the couple, who share six boys, ages 15 to 21, along with two dogs. They stay active with the North Attleborough High School wrestling booster club, and are always finding ways to give back. On the rare Sunday when they have leftovers, Howe and Ferro post them on social media and offer them in exchange for canned goods benefiting Lenore’s Pantry.
“We had a gentleman who feeds the homeless in Boston reach out to us last week about our English muffins – he wanted to make egg sandwiches,” said Howe. “We gave him what we had and he was so excited. We try to pay it forward as much as we can.”
With the holidays approaching, Howe is planning new sourdough flavors, such as pumpernickel and cranberry-brie. Pumpkin swirl and cinnamon roll loaves have become fan favorites and will stay on the winter menu.
Christmas bark and gourmet hot chocolate mixes in mason jars are also in the works for unique gift options.
Eat Eat Hooray’s winterized greenhouse stand, located at 30 South Bulfinch St., is open Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. The best way to keep up with weekly menus and preorders is through its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577748595539.
For Howe, the biggest reward is the way the community has embraced them.
“The amount of love this town has shown us – it has blown our minds,” she said. “We have a guest book where people write us notes, and now we have repeat customers who come back every week. The feedback has been nothing but positive.”