A new bakery and coffee shop in Chippewa Falls built part of its menu by asking customers to choose without knowing the brands. Crust & Crumb Baking Co., at 1225 Jefferson Ave., held a blind tasting with about 40 friends and family members before opening.
Owner and baker Kaitlin Anderson said she wanted the people she serves to have a say in what the shop offers. The tasting ended with Driven Coffee Roasters, based in Minnesota, winning by one vote for the shop's drip coffee, while On The Mark Coffee Roasters of Fall Creek came in second and now supplies the espresso.
Anderson began taking custom orders for gatherings and events in 2025 and expanded into the storefront on Oct. 1. The current menu leans into fall flavors and runs through Oct. 30, with items including oatmeal cream pies, mixed berry scones, toffee chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin cinnamon rolls and apple crumble bars, all made from scratch.
A specialty drink called The Heather, a honey, cinnamon and vanilla latte named for Anderson's best friend, is among the house offerings. Syrups and whipped toppings are made in-house, Anderson said.
The shop is open 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Anderson, who also works a full-time job and is raising three young children, said she hopes the shop becomes a place where people can stop in for coffee and something fresh and connect with one another.
