PHOTOS COURTESY OF RED TRUCK BAKERY
Spotlight
T
Baked Goodness
HEY’RE STILL MAKING THE DRIVE. THEY WANT all in-store operations “until further notice,” leaving in its wake to get out of the house,” says Brian Noyes of Virginia’s only the sales from nationwide delivery through UPS. Instead Red Truck Bakery. He’s referring to regular customers of shutting down altogether, Noyes decided to bulk up online who live throughout Northern Virginia and even as far away as by adding options for local pickup. “I built a new, local ordering D.C., roughly an hour away. “And our redbuds are in bloom, all website for preorders and parking lot pickup,” he says. The site, throughout the Virginia Piedmont. It’s worth the drive!” pickup.redtruckbakery.com, allows customers to place sameMore to the point, it’s a welcome departure from sheltering day orders at its main location in Marshall, Va. at home during the pandemic, and one that’s also perfectly legitThose orders go far beyond the gourmet sweet treat stanimate. “We’re a food business,” he says. “So we’re essential. And dards — Meyer lemon and rum cakes, say, or what Andrew we’re open.” Zimmern calls “the best granola in North America” — to include With two locations in what Noyes refers to as “the boonies of lots of savory standouts, such as focaccia, sandwiches, and lasaVirginia,” Red Truck has been a popular draw for gna. “We always had a soup of the day,” he says. Click to Visit “But darn it, it’s a whole new world! And we’re now discerning urban foodies for years, earning accolades and repeat business from President Obama, Marian making and selling frozen quarts of chicken noodle the Website Burros of the New York Times, and editors of Oprah’s soup and veggie lentil soup. O Magazine. Noyes himself gave up a successful career in publish“Everything freezes really well,” he continues. “So customers ing, including stints as the art director of the Washington Post and are stocking up on frozen chicken pot pies now that we make Smithsonian magazine, to launch Red Truck a decade ago as “a them. We’re making flatbread, sending out meatloaf. It’s more sweet, little, charming bakery that people love.” than a bakery. It’s now bulk items that’ll last several months in Nearly two months ago, COVID-19 threatened to end all the freezer or a week or so in the fridge to keep a family fed. And that as the coronavirus’ rapid spread forced the suspension of they can get a pie or cake for dessert.” —Doug Rule Red Truck Bakery’s main location is at 8368 W. Main St., Marshall, Va. Pickup hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for same-day orders. Visit www.redtruckbakery.com. MAY 7, 2020 • METROWEEKLY.COM
7
