Freeling mum’s home bakehouse Little Magnolia prepares to open after sell-out Father’s Day trial
A tiny farm stand at the front of a Freeling family home has sold out during its first trial opening – and it has not even officially launched yet.
“I was expecting maybe a handful of people, but we sold out by four o’clock in the afternoon. Everything was gone. It was very, very impressive,”
Little Magnolia Bakehouse is the new venture from local mum Hannah Stockdale, who is turning generations of family baking into a weekly spread of sourdough, focaccia, cookies, brownies, blondies and banana bread.
Named after Hannah’s two-year-old daughter, Magnolia, the family-run bakehouse is preparing for its official opening in early October after an unexpectedly busy Father’s Day soft launch.
“I was expecting maybe a handful of people, but we sold out by four o’clock in the afternoon. Everything was gone. It was very, very impressive,” Hannah said.
“We also doubled our social media following overnight.”
For Hannah, the idea behind Little Magnolia Bakehouse is rooted in the women in her family and the role baking has played in bringing generations together.
“My whole life, I’ve grown up around generations of women who bake for family,” she said. “It brings people together.”
“We would wait for those special events to happen and look forward to them because, “Oh great, my grandma is making this,” or, “My mum is making this.””
“I wanted to bring that back now that I’m a mum with two very young children.”
The name Little Magnolia Bakehouse is itself a nod to that next generation, with Hannah describing the business as a tribute to her young daughter and the family traditions she hopes to pass down.
“The business itself, Little Magnolia Bakehouse, is almost like a love letter to our daughter. It’s all of our family recipes coming to the table, and I wanted to be able to share that with people too, because I always have.”
“My partner and I have tried to build this so that it’s something she can grow up with it and watch us share with other people too.”
The weekly offering will centre around practical, everyday baked goods alongside more indulgent treats.
There will be white sourdough loaves made in a sandwich-friendly style, alongside rotating sourdough flavours and other bread options. Focaccia will also feature in a range of flavours, designed to work for everything from sandwiches to lunchboxes.
For something sweeter, customers can expect cookie packs and oversized statement cookies, as well as smaller portions of brownies and blondies, plus banana bread.
“The intention is to keep it quite small and just offer beautiful, home-baked goods that I would normally bake for my family in huge masses, and offer that back out to the community again,” Hannah said.
“We’re hoping to open it officially and bump up the scale in early October.
“I would love to add bits and pieces along the way as it grows, but this is the plan for now.”
Little Magnolia Bakehouse When: Officially launching early October Where: 57 Fiddlewood Drive, Freeling.
