Chamber Business Spotlight – September 2026
Big Broad Bearded Bread Man LLC

 

Good bread, made fresh, and with a little bit of heart, that’s the idea behind The Big Broad Bearded Bread Man.

 

Based in Springfield, The Big Broad Bearded Bread Man is a bakery that has been in business for just over a year. The bakery specializes in a variety of homemade favorites, including sourdough, pretzels,cookies, and cinnamon rolls, with new items regularly being added to the menu.

 

The business operates primarily on a pre-order, for-pickup model.Customers place their orders at least a day in advance and select a pickup date, allowing the bakery to make each order as fresh as possible. The Big Broad Bearded Bread Man also regularly delivers to communities including Bolivar, and Strafford, and Willow Springs customers have an added opportunity to order when the bakery makes its every-other-Monday delivery run.

 

So,where did the idea for the business come from?

 

As the owner, Steven Main puts it, it actually started by accident. Coworkers at his day job discovered that he made sourdough and offered to pay him for it. From there, things simply “spiraled out of control in the best way possible.”

 

His passion for baking comes naturally. Growing up in a family of cooks and bakers, and later marrying a phenomenal cook, gave him an appreciation for good food. He describes himself as an “absolute food snob” and believes everyone deserves to be a little spoiled when it comes to what they eat.

 

That philosophy is also reflected in the bakery’s approach to pricing.The goal is for good bread to be something people can enjoy regularly, rather than an occasional luxury. The Big Broad Bearded Bread Man works to keep prices a little lower than other bakeries so that quality baked goods can be accessible to more people.

 

The connection to Willow Springs came through family. His wife has family in the area, her mother is Dr. Ann Hines, founder and owner of Main Street Wellness Center and once he learned that the community didn't have someone locally making the kind of quality baked goods he was offering, everything seemed to fall into place.

 

When asked how the community can support the business, the answer is simple: order bread and spread the word.

 

But supporting the community is important to the bakery, too. Even while operating below full capacity, The Big Broad Bearded Bread Man has already donated several hundred dollars' worth of goods to food pantries and nonprofits in the Springfield area.

 

Looking ahead, the goal isn't to become a large franchise or open a traditional storefront. Instead, the dream is to grow the bakery to the point where Steven can leave his day job and run the business alongside his wife, Elaine. Ultimately, he says, the business is a“vehicle to achieve freedom.”

 

And one of the biggest rewards of doing business in this area? The people. He says everyone has been incredibly friendly.

 

For those who are thinking about starting a business of their own, he offers an honest reminder: getting started is far from easy. But sometimes the best businesses are the ones that begin unexpectedly,and grow because someone is willing to take a chance on something they love.

 

If you're looking for fresh sourdough, pretzels, cookies, cinnamon rolls, or whatever new creation has made its way onto the menu,consider giving The Big Broad Bearded Bread Man a try. After all, good bread doesn't have to be something you splurge on once in awhile.

 

The Big Broad Bearded Bread Man
Phone:(417) 501-4949
Email:bigbroadbeardedbreadman@gmail.com
Website: www.BigBroadBeardedBreadMan.com