Black, queer, and woman-owned, community carries the day at Shikorina Pastries on E Union. From an inclusive menu for all diets to providing opportunities for bakers to explore their passion for culinary arts, the shop’s community-based makeup comes from owner Hana Yohannes.

“I want to bring a home feeling for people,” Yohannes said. “I feel like most people that walk in can really feel like they’re at home. Especially being in the Central District, which used to be a predominantly Black community. Just being a place in this community where people who have been here for a long time can feel represented.”

Shikorina Pastries makes traditional pastries, cookies and brownies, home-roasted coffee, and custom cakes. The menu has a selection that fits most diets, including vegan and gluten-free options.

“We want everyone to feel like there is something here that they can try. So we try to avoid most major allergens,” Yohannes said.

Yohannes started the business in the summer of 2020 with a love for the people and the area. Feeling like a small town where people are close to each other yet as big as a city, Yohannes was inspired to grow her business despite the pandemic.

At first, Yohannes never dreamed of starting her bakery, especially this early in her life. Cooking pastries became a hobby for her as it was not a known culinary art in her family’s Eritrean culture. “I never thought I would go into culinary until I did the Pastry Project, and that’s kind of where I found out this was my passion. I was like, if I’m gonna do this, I think one day I’d want to start my own business. But I definitely didn’t think it was going to be this soon,” she said.

She was first inspired by the Pastry Project, a 12-week program for people passionate about the culinary industry but who don’t have enough funds to go to culinary school. For Yohannes, the Pastry Project was how she was able to set foot and explore her passion in the world of culinary arts, she said.

Because of this learning experience, Yohannes wants to ensure her shop provides a helping hand for those interested in the culinary world. “We really prioritize hiring people that are looking to gain experience in the industry and don’t necessarily have the tools to go to culinary school, kind of like I did going into the Pastry Project,” she said. “The last baker we hired was really passionate about baking, but didn’t have any experience. I took on doing all of their training with them and teaching them how to work in a commercial bakery.”

Yohannes has been delighted by the experience as she got to share her passion for culinary arts while seeing others’ passion blossom. Watching people go on to grow their skills and branch out in the baking industry has been rewarding, she said.

It has also been discouraging to open during the pandemic due to the uncertainty yet Yohannes saw it as an opportunity, she said. “The pandemic is kind of what got me to open my business, just because you could tell nothing was for certain, you never know what’s gonna happen. So I decided to kind of take that leap,” she said.

Yohannes is excited to host more events in the future. She wants Shikorina Pastries to be part of the E Union community because her shop represents togetherness, she said.

“I think the nice thing about food, no matter what culture you come from, I think food is known to bring people together. So yeah, just being able to put people in a good mood, just being able to spread a little happiness for people is what Shikorina Pastries represents,” she said.

Shikorina Pastries in E Union is open for takeout and orders at 2418 E Union. Learn more at shikorinaseattle.com.

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