Q & A: Lavender & Lemons owner reflects on closing Edmonton bakery after nearly a decade
By Jeremy Russo on March 12, 2026
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
For nearly a decade, Lavender & Lemons built a loyal following inside Edmonton’s small-business community by offering vegan and nut-free baking to customers with restricted diets.
Owner Myranda Fairbridge launched the bakery in 2017 while expecting her first child. What started as a creative outlet from home evolved into a full operation – supplying local markets and cafes across the city.
Recently, Fairbridge decided to close the bakery due to her responsibilities as a mother and business owner began to collide. In this interview, Fairbridge reflects on indentifying a gap in Edmonton’s food scene, building an allergy-friendly brand and ultimately deciding to step away.
Q: When you first opened the bakery, what gap in Edmonton’s food scene were you trying to fill?
A: “When I first opened, I was catering to the vegan and raw vegan food crowd, but soon realized that there were not many… this was late 2016 with barely any vegan and nut-free companies in Edmonton.”
“Having a brother who is allergic to all nuts, this was a no-brainer shift for me and my business.”
Fairbridge says conversations at markets were starting to increase in demand for dairy, egg and nut-free options.
Q: At what point did the bakery start feeling like a responsibility to the community?
A: “Customers raved about how they hadn’t had ‘a real Black Forest cake in X amount of years’ or ‘I thought I wouldn’t ever be able to have this due to my allergy.’”
“I knew I was doing something right.”
She says word of mouth helped grow the business beyond what paid advertising ever could
Q: Did social media help or hurt more when it came to expectations and pressure?
A: “At times, social media was the driving force for interest and generating sales, but most times, it was just a constant circle of paying to promote your ad.”
“I would say it still comes down to word of mouth. That’s what truly skyrocketed my business to the next level.”
Q: Was there a moment you realized closing might be the right decision?
A: “Running a business isn’t for the weak as they say… and I was doing it all myself.”
From managing social media and emails to sourcing ingredients and arranging deliveries, Fairbridge says the workload became overwhelming.
“I was working full time, I was a mom of two young kids… my marriage and relationship with my children were starting to suffer… I was burnt out. I wasn’t having fun anymore.”
Q: How did you balance creativity with the financial realities of running the bakery?
A: “I was always trying new ideas… but I was spending more than I was making at times, just trying anything to keep it going.”
What began as a passion project eventually required constant financial and emotional investment.
Q: What did owning a bakery teach you about yourself?
A: “I learned that even in my most exhaustive times, I will still push myself beyond the limits… I was getting three to four hours of sleep a night for years. My nervous system was shot.”
Myranda says the experience taught her that success is possible, but sustainability matters.
“I learned that I don’t have to do it by myself and that it’s okay to ask for help.”
Q: When you look back, what part of this chapter are you most proud of?
A: “The connections I formed within my community and the fulfillment that it gave me at that time were truly what got me through some of the hardest years of my life.”
Fairbridge says the Edmonton small-business community, fellow vendors and loyal customers helped carry her through postpartum depression, the COVID-19 pandemic and years of uncertainty.
“The small business community in Edmonton is and always will be close to my heart.”
Lavender & Lemons may have closed its doors, but Fairbridge says the lessons and relationships will forever shape whatever she chooses to build next.
