Paper Moon Pastries in Cortland began with a desire to be kind to people.
Owner Lindsey Oelling was working as a mental health therapist when she noticed how many of the people she saw were so lonely.
“I noticed that while I was working with people that so many of them were desperately lonely,” she said. “I feel like a lot of people are. It was a common theme amongst all ages and genders. I realized it was impactful to be kind to people. I thought it would be nice to have my own little shop so I could be kind. We live in such a fast-paced world and don’t take time for people anymore, it seems.”
Oelling said her grandmother taught her to bake when she was a child.
“My brother had cancer, and so when he was getting treatments, I would stay with my grandma or other family. She taught me how to make kolaches and cinnamon rolls. Her mother’s recipes. My mom made pies, and my dad baked chocolate chip cookies. That’s how we spent time together when I was a kid,” she said.
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When she found her home in Cortland, she started to think about opening a bakery. Oelling started looking at different buildings in town and slowly collected used equipment that she stored in her garage until she was able to find a space.
“I had gone to the town board and asked about a building, but then COVID happened. But then in 2020, Rich Douglas approached me and said space was available. He was so supportive and really the reason this business is here. He really cares about the town,” she said.
She said she was able to get some equipment from someone that encouraged her to pay it forward when she was able.
Her dad likes history and restores vehicles. He also collects antiques.
“Our basement while I was growing up was a 1950s diner,” she said.
Oelling had watched an old black-and-white movie, “Paper Moon,” with her dad and really liked it.
“It is so cute. The diner scene is where I took inspiration for the decorations here,” she said.
The bakery is only open on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., but Oelling said her process keeps her busy all week with grocery shopping, making frostings and dough. Wednesday and Friday are baking days.
She also continues to provide therapy on Monday and Tuesday of each week.
“I have a couple people that help me, but I’m the only baker. When I was first starting, Carol Niemeyer started helping me just to get out of her house,” she said.
Her favorite thing to bake are kolaches, for which she has several different toppings. She also likes making sculpture cakes.
She said she never imagined that the bakery would be so popular.
“I thought I could just do this myself and I would have a few people come in and drink coffee while I practiced decorating cakes or something, now this is my full-time job and therapy is part-time. It is a lot of work, but it is really perfect,” she said.
She noted there have been some challenges along the way, like increasing prices for eggs and butter, but she has been able to deal with the problems.
Oelling said she has had a lot of help from family and friends in making the bakery successful.
She said she feels like the bakery fulfills its purpose of providing kindness.
“During the summer we have long lines sometimes and people will talk to each other standing in line. They’ll get to know each other and then they’ll buy each other pastries. It’s just really cool. Our purpose was to spread joy and overall people are so kind,” she said.
Over the holidays, she partners with Schro Brothers in Cortland for a milk and cookies event with Santa Claus and gifts for children in the area. She also promotes a lighting contest and other community events throughout the year.
A French-pressed coffee from Coffee Roasters of Lincoln is served at the bakery.
Oelling donates leftover baked goods to nursing homes, nonprofits and the night shift at the hospital.
For updates, menu items and other information, go to the Paper Moon Pastries Facebook page.
