When Piece & Freedom Bakery opened on Main Street in early 2025, the three women behind the Ukrainian storefront imagined a “chill place,” a cozy spot where they might bake a few cakes and introduce Ames to the flavors of their homeland.
Instead, the bakery was greeted with a line stretching from its door in the historic Sheldon Munn building down Main Street to Kellogg Avenue, then around the corner.
“We were surprised how many people were behind the door,” co-owner Hanna Petrova said. “They were waiting for us to give them something special – our Ukrainian food.”…