About Us
Shank’s Bakery is owned and operated by Randy & Janet Shank of Broadway, Virginia.
Local farmers for more than 30 years, Randy & Janet Shank began bringing sweet corn, vegetables, and bedding plants to the Harrisonburg Farmer’s Market more than a decade ago. After supplementing the farming business with baked goods for many of those years, the demand for their breads and pies had become too large for their home kitchen.
At the end of July 2005, Shank’s Bakery opened in their current space adjoining the Water Street parking deck in downtown Harrisonburg, which allowed for a larger variety and quantity of baked goods, and the addition of a coffee shop.
Shortly after opening in Fall 2005, Shank’s Bakery was awarded the “2005 Design Excellence Award” from Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance and Citizens For Downtown. Richard Shank, of Charlottesville’s Shank & Gray Architects, assisted his brother Randy in the interior design of the bakery. There is seating for about 15 people in the bakery.
All of our coffees are made from locally-roasted coffee beans from Lexington Coffee Roasters. Our baked goods are made from scratch and contain no preservatives.
The Bakery has won a number of awards for our baked goods and coffee:
- Best Bakery in the Valley (Daily News Record, 2010 & 2011)
- Best Coffee in the Valley (Daily News Record, 2009)
- Best Bakery in Harrisonburg (Eightyone Magazine, 2008)
Over the years, Shank’s Bakery has also been featured in many articles by the Daily News Record. Here are a few recent examples:
- October 27, 2011: Mmmm…. muffins
- Quote: Shank’s bran-raisin muffins “have a good following” of health-conscious customers. But most customers go for the “naughty” muffins, she [Janet Shank] said. She enjoys fixing peanut butter and jelly muffins, which are made with peanut butter-flavored batter and have a spoonful of jelly in the center.
- June 29, 2011 – “Salute to America” about apple pie, including Janet Shank’s recipe
