Every business has a beginning.
Some begin with investors, expensive equipment, detailed business plans, and years of industry experience. Eric’s Pretzels began with approximately $150, an apartment kitchen, and one YouTube video about making soft pretzels.
I didn’t have practical pretzel-making experience. I didn’t have a commercial mixer, a bakery, or a team of employees. In fact, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing.
What I did have was a willingness to learn, a countertop where I could mix dough by hand, and a belief that I could build something if I kept working at it.
That simple beginning eventually grew into Eric’s Pretzels—a commercial soft pretzel bakery located inside Dot’s Market in Centerville, Ohio. Today, our team produces handmade soft pretzels for customers throughout Southwest Ohio, supplies dozens of retail locations, works with restaurants and local businesses, and ships pretzels nationwide.
This is the story of how it started.
Learning to Make Soft Pretzels From a YouTube Video
When I first became interested in making soft pretzels, I had no practical experience with the process.
I found a YouTube video that explained the basics and decided to give it a try.
Like most first attempts, those early pretzels weren’t perfect. I had to learn how the dough should feel, how long it needed to rise, and how to consistently roll and twist each pretzel. I experimented with baking times, temperatures, flavors, and techniques.
Every batch taught me something.
Some batches turned out well. Others didn’t. Instead of treating the imperfect batches as failures, I viewed them as part of the learning process. I kept making adjustments until the pretzels began looking and tasting the way I wanted them to.
That willingness to experiment, learn, and improve became one of the foundations of Eric’s Pretzels.
Starting With $150 and No Commercial Equipment
There is a common belief that starting a food business requires an enormous amount of money.
My experience was very different.
I started with approximately $150 and used the equipment that was already available to me. I didn’t have a commercial dough mixer, so I mixed the dough by hand on my apartment countertop.
It was slow, physical work, but it allowed me to begin.
Instead of waiting until I could afford the perfect kitchen or the best equipment, I started with what I had. As people began purchasing the pretzels, I reinvested the money into ingredients, packaging, equipment, and the next stage of the business.
Each sale helped fund the next batch.
That approach forced me to pay attention to every expense. It also taught me that equipment should solve a real problem in the production process. Buying something simply because it looks impressive doesn’t necessarily make a bakery more efficient.
Sometimes the simplest equipment makes the biggest difference. As our production increased, one of our most valuable improvements was having enough sheet pans and baking racks to hold an entire day’s production. That change increased our capacity more than some of the larger equipment we added.
Building the Business One Pretzel at a Time
For approximately eight months, I operated the business from my apartment.
During that time, every pretzel was part of the learning process. I was improving the product, figuring out production, learning what customers enjoyed, and discovering how to turn a homemade product into a consistent business.
The pretzels were handmade from beginning to end. Dough had to be mixed, divided, rolled, twisted, proofed, baked, finished, packaged, and delivered.
As orders increased, the process had to become more organized.
That is one of the lessons I still carry with me today: growth isn’t only about selling more. A business also needs systems that allow it to fulfill those additional orders while protecting the quality of its products.
For a handmade soft pretzel bakery, efficiency is especially important. We want every pretzel to have the handmade character our customers expect, but we also need reliable processes that allow our team to produce them consistently.
Sharing the Entire Journey on Facebook
Social media played an important role in the early growth of Eric’s Pretzels.
Instead of waiting until everything looked polished, I documented the process as it happened. I shared photographs, videos, experiments, improvements, setbacks, and milestones on Facebook.
People didn’t just see the finished pretzels. They watched the business grow.
They saw someone learning a new skill, working from an apartment, mixing dough by hand, and trying to turn a small idea into something real. That transparency helped customers feel connected to the journey.
Over time, those customers became a loyal community.
They purchased pretzels, told their friends, shared our posts, and encouraged us to keep going. Their support gave the business momentum that would have been difficult to create through traditional advertising alone.
Social media wasn’t simply a place to advertise products. It became a way to invite people into the story.
Moving From the Apartment to a Commercial Bakery
Eventually, the business outgrew the apartment.
Eric’s Pretzels moved into a commercial bakery located inside Dot’s Market in Centerville, Ohio. The move provided more space, better equipment, and the ability to increase production.
It also created new opportunities.
We could produce more pretzels, develop new flavors, work with additional retailers, serve café customers, and build a team of pretzel makers.
The basic philosophy, however, stayed the same.
Our products are still made by people. The dough is still shaped by hand. Each production day still depends on preparation, teamwork, and attention to detail.
Commercial growth didn’t mean removing the handmade nature of the product. It meant developing better systems to make more handmade pretzels without losing what made people enjoy them in the first place.
Growing Into Retail Stores and Restaurants
As production increased, Eric’s Pretzels began working with grocery stores, farm markets, meat markets, restaurants, and other independent retailers.
These partnerships allowed customers to find our pretzels in communities throughout Southwest Ohio.
Wholesale growth presented an entirely new set of challenges. It wasn’t enough to make a great pretzel. We also needed dependable production schedules, packaging, labels, order sorting, delivery routes, and communication with our retail partners.
Every new location became a responsibility.
If a retailer made room for Eric’s Pretzels on its shelves, we needed to provide a product that both the store and its customers could count on.
Today, Eric’s Pretzels can be found in dozens of retail locations. We have intentionally focused our wholesale network so we can better serve the accounts that are the strongest fit for our business and customers.
You can find participating retailers using the official Eric’s Pretzels Store Locator.
We also provide pretzel products to restaurants and continue exploring opportunities with schools, sports teams, community events, and other local organizations.
Shipping Eric’s Pretzels Nationwide
What began in one Ohio apartment can now be delivered to pretzel lovers across the country.
Nationwide shipping allows customers outside our local retail area to experience Eric’s Pretzels at home. It also makes our pretzels an option for gifts, celebrations, family gatherings, and anyone who misses having a great soft pretzel nearby.
Shipping a bakery product creates another layer of responsibility. The pretzels need to be prepared and packaged so customers can enjoy them after delivery.
For me, there is something special about seeing an order leave our Centerville bakery for a customer in another part of the country.
It is a reminder of how far the business has come.
If you’re unsure where to begin, explore our best-selling pretzels and customer favorites.
What Hasn’t Changed
Eric’s Pretzels has grown significantly since those first batches, but the heart of the business remains the same.
We still believe in making products people are excited to eat. We still believe in learning through experience. We still believe that steady improvements can create meaningful growth.
Most importantly, we haven’t forgotten that our customers made this journey possible.
Every person who bought an early pretzel, shared a Facebook post, recommended us to a friend, visited the café, found us at a local retailer, or ordered online helped build Eric’s Pretzels.
The company may have started with $150 and a YouTube video, but it grew through the support of an entire community.
A Pretzel Business Built From the Ground Up
I didn’t begin this journey knowing exactly where it would lead.
I simply started.
I made the first batch, learned from it, and made another. I kept improving the product, documenting the journey, reinvesting the money, and taking the next opportunity as it appeared.
Eventually, an apartment project became a commercial bakery.
A few early customers became a loyal following.
Hand-mixed batches became daily production handled by a powerhouse team of pretzel makers.
The most important lesson from the story of Eric’s Pretzels is that you don’t always need everything figured out before you begin. Sometimes you need to use what you have, learn as you go, and keep taking the next step.
Sometimes that first step begins with $150, a kitchen countertop, and a soft pretzel video on YouTube.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eric’s Pretzels located?
Our commercial bakery and pretzel café are located inside Dot’s Market in Centerville, Ohio. We also work with retail partners throughout Southwest Ohio.
Are Eric’s Pretzels handmade?
Yes. Our pretzels are produced by our bakery team using hands-on processes that give them the character and quality customers expect from Eric’s Pretzels.
Where can I buy Eric’s Pretzels?
Visit our Centerville bakery and café, use our Store Locator to find a participating retailer, or order online for nationwide shipping.
Which Eric’s Pretzels should I try first?
Our Best Sellers collection is the easiest place to discover popular Eric’s Pretzels products and customer favorites.
Does Eric’s Pretzels offer fundraising?
Yes. Eric’s Pretzels offers fundraising options for schools, sports teams, and community groups looking for a simple product people already enjoy.
Can Eric’s Pretzels supply restaurants or retail stores?
We work with retailers, restaurants, farm markets, grocery stores, meat markets, and other businesses. Organizations interested in carrying Eric’s Pretzels can contact us to discuss wholesale opportunities.
Ready to Try Eric’s Pretzels?
Whether you followed our journey from the apartment days or recently discovered us, we would love for you to experience what our team is making today.
Explore the Eric’s Pretzels Best Sellers collection and have our handmade soft pretzels shipped directly to your door.
Prefer to shop locally? Use our Store Locator to find Eric’s Pretzels near you.
One YouTube video helped start the journey. Your support keeps it going.