Meet Julian Ang | Owner of 4th St BAKER

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julian Ang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julian, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
During the pandemic, many of us learned how to bake and many others baked more. I have always loved baking as a hobby, I loved baking for friends and family.

I never would have thought of baking as a business, let alone from the comfort of my home. I did not think that I would be able to produce bakery-quality goods from a home oven. And most importantly, I did not think it would be a profitable venture.

Nevertheless, with a little bit of guts and curiosity, I gathered all the necessary permits, licenses and insurance to be able to sell from home. I wanted to see if I could turn this hobby into something more worthwhile.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
4th St BAKER specializes in classic American sweets and breakfast pastries. What sets me apart is the high quality ingredients that I use and the low sugar content in my baked goods. I also use imported chocolates and fresh fruits from the farmers market. You have to support your local farmers.

I am most proud of how the business is growing. I have moved the bulk of my baking to a commercial kitchen space and excited for opportunities to participate in more farmers markets.
It has not been easy producing from home. A standard home oven does not allow you to bake many and evenly. You need space for ingredients, equipment, storage, refrigeration etc. This limits the orders that you are able to take. This limits the amount of ingredients that you are able to buy and store. Smaller quantities costs more. There will be more trips to the store and that is time.

I’ve learned and still learning and finding ways to be more productive in the kitchen each day. I’ve learned to take one day at a time, scheduling my exercises and also rest throughout the week.

I’d like people to know that I love what I do and that I work very hard to provide quality baked goods to the community. I pride myself in engaging and getting to know my customers.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Eat: Street tacos, Lonzo’s Peruvian in Culver City, Chao Krung Thai on Fairfax, Ghisallo in Santa Monica, Henry’s Cuisine in Alhambra, Sun Nong Dan in Koreatown for soup, Pizzana in Brentwood, Canter’s Deli, on Fairfax, Mizlala on West Adams, El Pollo Inka in Lawndale, Wee Chippy for fish & chips by the beach in Venice, Piccolo Ristorante Santa Monica

Visit: Getty Villa & Museum, Santa Monica/Venice/Manhattan/Redondo beach, Malibu, Griffith Observatory, Hikes, Huntington Gardens, Beverly Hills, Hollywood

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely. I do not take for granted and always thankful of where I am in life and in my business right at this moment. I have only the people around me to thank for my growth. First, is my friend Caroll Lee, founder of Provenance Meals for introducing me to Shoutout LA. My family and friends have been the most supportive of my venture. I have said this before in another interview and I will say this again – Ma’am does not get enough credit of how amazing a person she is. She had a storefront in the Pico neighborhood of Santa Monica selling Thai groceries and prepared foods. I took a couple cooking classes with her and we instantly became friends. She mentored me about running a small business. I would help around in her store, chat with customers and also sold my brownies there.
Then there is Carla Fantozzi, the Principal Supervisor of Virginia Ave Park in Santa Monica who introduced me to Kym Otterstedt, the Manager of the Farmers Market at the Virginia Ave Park. These two women helped me get a start as a vendor at the farmers market. The farmers markets are my primary sales channel. So, Thank You to all my loyal customers and everyone involved for making it happen and for being so supportive of me every week.

Website: https://www.4thstbaker.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4thstbaker/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/4th-st-baker-santa-monica