A Lynchburg couple’s bakery offers locals beautiful artisan breads. And it offers their daughter even more.
By Dawn Medley

You notice the line of customers at Lorraine Bakery first, snaking just inside the door of the Lynchburg Community Market. The aroma of yeast and baking bread comes soon after, a waft of warmth taking the edge off the 30-degree chill outside. It’s not long before you spot Mariel Hackman behind the counter, blonde hair swinging in a ponytail, greeting the next person and pulling pillowy brioche and rustic artisan loaves—and a few generously proportioned cinnamon rolls—from behind the counter.

This popular bakery started as a way for Mariel, 22, who has Down syndrome, to have meaningful employment after she earned an associate’s degree at Central Virginia Community College. Mariel’s mother, Petra, a German native, had been making her own bread and other baked goods since she married Steve Hackman and moved to the United States in the early 1980s. She wanted to emulate the denser, thick-crusted breads to which she was accustomed, and discovered there was interest in the community as well. So in 2007, the family started baking out of their home kitchen and opened a temporary stand in the Lynchburg Community Market, a bustling, enclosed marketplace that dates to 1783 and houses permanent businesses and seasonal vendors.

It quickly became apparent that there was more demand for Lorraine Bakery’s hand-shaped, preservativefree loaves than the Hackmans’ home kitchen could handle. So about a year ago, they expanded to the current permanent shop (with a large kitchen), where they turn out 30 different types of breads, including sourdough made with a starter that Petra has had for almost 25 years. “Every sourdough starter is a little different because of the environment in which it grows and what you feed it, so this one is truly mine,” says Petra, who also incorporates local ingredients when possible and insists on only unbleached, unbromated flour.

Lorraine Bakery is a prime example of exactly the kind of bakers, artisans, and growers that Janet Rose-Campbell hoped to attract when she became market manager in 2007. “Petra listens to her customers and gives them what they want, and they reward the shop with success,” says Rose-Campbell, who sees Mariel thriving in the environment.

Mariel’s role is to get ingredients ready and add finishing touches— a sprinkle of powdered sugar here or a brush of egg wash there. She also arranges items for sale, identifies breads for customers, and washes the towels, basket liners, and aprons. Steve and Petra have had preliminary conversations with the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services about funding to hire others with disabilities in the future.

“I like helping customers the most,” says Mariel, taking a short break from the counter. She’s proud that the bakery is named after her— Lorraine is her middle name—and admits that working alongside her parents isn’t so bad either.

Younger sister Miken, 21, also helps out. Today she joins dad in the back where he’s preparing baguettes. He uses a machine that rolls a partially risen round of dough into a long rope, making it easier for Mariel, who has limited fine-motor skills, to get loaves ready for the oven.

With the bakery booming, the Hackmans are planning to expand their selection with new offerings such as crepes (the buckwheat crepe with ham, cheese, and a sunny-side-up egg is Petra’s favorite).

Today, many customers queue up for the sweet cranberry, walnut, and raisin loaf. But Lynchburg resident Alison Jablonski is here for her regular fix of whole-wheat sourdough. “Having Mariel at the shop is a draw too,” says Jablonski, as she adds a few treats for the kids to her order. “They have given her a place where she is needed and contributing. Really, they couldn’t do it without her.”

Dawn Medley, a Staunton writer, serves as director of news and publications at Mary Baldwin College.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The Down Syndrome Association estimates that just one in five working-age adults with Down syndrome in America have a paying job. A few resources for training and employment of individuals with disabilities:

•Office of Disability Employment Policy: www.gol.gov/odep

•Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation research and Training Center: www.worksupport.com

•Life Skills for Vocational Success: www.workshopsinc.com/manual

Return to Table of Contents