Cookie Jar Baking
Stories of Downtown
Cookie Jar Baking. Owner, Algerine Carriere
When visiting the businesses of Downtown Belleville you get to take in the beautiful facade of the store front, discover unique local and international products and dine on delicious food. You may catch a glimpse of the owner as they wize by, the life of a small business owner is hectic- they want to engage with the customer though they also must be the boss, the marketing expert, the cleaner, the server, the accountant and that could all be before noon! We wanted to give those business owners an opportunity to slow down for a moment and share their story. Because behind each storefront are people who had a dream and put in a whole lot of work to make it come to life. These are some of the stories of Downtown Belleville.
Algerine is a mom to two wonderful kids (three if you count her German Shepard, Max), a wife and the owner of Cookie Jar Baking on 159 Front Street. Originally born and raised in the Philippines, Algerine moved to Canada in 2009 and began working towards a degree. She quickly realized that the degree she was working towards was not her passion, where her heart truly felt most drawn to was baking. Before opening her storefront in 2023, she began watching baking videos online to follow new techniques, recipes, and lots more. Algerine says “After several years of baking for fun, my husband encouraged me to pursue it full-time. So, I did. We worked together to create Cookie Jar Baking.”
When chatting with Algerine she mentioned “There’s a great sense of community and character in Downtown Belleville. It’s a collection of business owners who encourage and support each other every step of the way.” Algerine opens up about what feels the most rewarding to her and that is having support as a small local business, is not just a transaction but it’s an opportunity for meaningful interaction and that is why it is important to value and have loyalty to your customers, week in and week out. The charm of downtown is the stone buildings, they add so much character and bring out the originality with the frequent change downtown.
It was wonderful getting the chance to speak with Algerine and learn more about one of the beautiful shops in Downtown Belleville. Before we left we had to ask one last tough question, what is her favourite cafe/restaurant downtown? “All of the cafes around here are wonderful, Can’t just choose one!” replied Algerine. Keep following along for our next Stories of Downtown!
Click here to visit Cookie Jar Baking’s website!
For behind the scenes fun head to the Downtown Belleville Instagram and Facebook!
Stay tuned for more Stories of Downtown coming your way in 2024
Funded by Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board
