- Terry and Tom Rake of Zionsville, create a successful recipe for a loyal following. (Photo by Zach Ross)
Zionsville family raises third-generation bakery to a new level
By Abby Walton Creating culinary confections is baked into Terry Rake’s DNA. “I wasn’t born when my grandfather, William Titus, had his bakery, but I worked for my father’s bakery in the early 1980s,” Rake said. Her father, Bill Titus, started what would become a destination for sweet lovers when he opened up Titus Pastry Shoppe in Lebanon. “We’re known for a doughnut called the Pershing,” she said. This round, moist pastry contains a mixture of cinnamon swirl topped with maple icing.
“It’s actually a family recipe,” Rake said. Although her grandfather and father ran successful baking businesses, Rake decided to go a different direction by starting an event planning business called Indy Events Management Group. She also was working as the executive director for the Indiana Fire Chiefs Association when her father decided to retire. “About two years ago, I knew Dad wanted to retire, but I never guessed that I would be the one to take over the business,” she said. At the end of last year, Terry and her husband, Tom, took over Titus Pastry Shoppe, turning her into a third generation baker. “I wondered if I could pull this off,” she said. Knowing what a legacy her family had built, Rake said she wanted to continue offering the baked goods they were known for, but also wanted to expand their product line. “That’s why we decided to change the name to Titus Bakery,” she said. Now the bakery offers everything from cakes and pies to cookies and of course, doughnuts. “We added a maple bacon doughnut which is a long john with maple icing and two strips of bacon on top. People really seem to like it,” she said. Not only have the Rakes expanded the bakery’s product line, they’ve also expanded the hours the shop is open, added a drive-through feature and now serve lunch. “We’re always trying to put ourselves in the customer’s shoes to create a great experience,” said Tom. In fact, the couple, who live in Zionsville, split the day so one or both of them is always there.
“It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s fun having your own enterprise. I really don’t feel like I’m going to work,” Tom said. Although he went to school for business, Tom said he’s learned how to decorate doughnuts and make cookies. “I just fill in where I’m needed,” he said. And it’s not just Terry and Tom who’ve gotten involved. They said their teenage daughters also help out when they can. “In fact, they created a board of directors and put themselves in charge and said we need to pass all of our new ideas through them. It doesn’t always happen, but we do try to get their input,” Terry said. Besides their daughters, the Rakes said they’re also lucky to have great people around them. “None of this would be possible without a dedicated team of employees. They make it all happen,” the Rakes said. While the Rakes said the past year has been a lot of hard work, it’s also been incredibly rewarding. “The support we’ve received from the public is incredible. People seem to really like the expansion and we’ve received a lot of positive feedback,” she said. Tom said he agrees it’s the people who’ve made this whole experience worth it. “Since the business has been here for more than 30 years, we have a very loyal following. Every single day, we have customers who compliment us on our product and it’s just a joy to talk with them and hear their stories,” Tom said. Although Terry never set out to be a baker, Tom said she’s done a spectacular job continuing the legacy of Titus Bakery. “She just has a really good feel of what types of products people would like,” he said. While there are talks of expanding the bakery into other communities, right now, the Rakes said their main focus is on creating delectable delights for their dedicated customers. Terry may not have started out in the bakery business, but it seems that by spending time around her family, she’s learned the recipe for success.
Titus Bakery
820 W. South St. in Lebanon
765-482-1740
Hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday
6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays
