If you were to head down to the Old Mill in the summer or fall of 2024, it felt like there was a lack of places where you could grab a quick bite to eat. Sure, you had restaurants like Red Robin or Greg’s Grill, but if you were in the middle of shopping or looking for a quick snack before tubing down the Deschutes, you would be out of luck. Now fast forward to Jan. 2025, where a new spot in town called M’s Bakery occupies the former home of Jimmy John’s.
Though aesthetically pleasing with its soft colors and plentiful window space, one would want to learn more about this deceivingly run-of-the-mill bakery and how it landed in a prime location in the heart of the Old Mill District. Buckle up, because owners Macy and Dario Muciño’s story is much more complicated than one could ever assume.
Dario’s love for the kitchen has existed since childhood.
“Growing up, he loved watching his grandmother bake in the kitchen. That started his love for food growing up,” Macy stated. “He knew he always wanted to do something in the kitchen as a kid.”
It wasn’t until after traveling and culinary school that Macy met Dario while working at the Four Seasons in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was here that their combined love for food led them to connect. So when Dario told Macy that he no longer wanted to work in the kitchen, they went to the drawing board for their next venture.
“[Dario] wanted something more specific. He wanted to own his own restaurant, something different from the situation we were in. He’s always been interested in the fermentation process, so in late 2018, he had chosen bread,” Macy said. “[We] literally googled how to start a business in the U.S. We had no idea where to start.”
But they figured it out on the way, acquiring a business licence and renting out commissary kitchens. After all this was sorted, Macy and Dario would develop what became M’s Bakery, and opened Jan. 2020 in Southern California. Little did they know, it would only be about two months until the world shut down.
“When the pandemic hit we were living in Southern California at the time, and Southern California got hit hard,” recalled Macy.
According to a publication by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, “the number of active business owners in the United States plummeted by 3.3 million or 22 percent over the crucial two month window from February to April 2020.” The same publication also states that “immigrant business owners experienced substantial losses of 36 percent.”
As Dario is an immigrant, the odds for M’s were even slimmer than other new businesses opened right at the beginning of the pandemic.
“We were doing home deliveries for the first six months, which is good because you’re able to find the demands in the market, but [the pandemic] ended farmers markets,” Macy said. “Long story short, it was a long three years of trying to find retail space, and California is a really difficult place for small business owners to start.”
Though surviving, M’s still struggled to open a brick and mortar location, with the main reason pointing to lack of investors.
“[Dario] was always very strict on not wanting an investor. He had very strong visions for what he wanted and a lot of times when you bring in an investor, the people with the money get to call the shots and that’s not what he wanted,” said Macy. “Unless you have a lot of financial backing, which we didn’t, it’s really hard to find a space.”
Because of this, Dario and Macy were rejected time after time for three and a half years, until a chance visit to Bend over Labor Day weekend in 2023 would spark the beginning of what felt like destiny.
“We were on our way to Portland to go salmon fishing,” Macy explained. “My sisters live there, and one of my college friends had just moved to Bend. She told me, ‘You have to stop by. It’s beautiful, and you’d love it.’ It felt like a great way to break up the drive, so we stayed for the night.”
That detour, however, became much more than a quick stop.
“When we pulled up, we were blown away,” Macy said. “We loved Bend instantly, and as we talked to locals, they kept mentioning how supportive the community is of small businesses. People were even saying there was a real need for a bakery here—something different from what already existed.”
The couple quickly saw an opportunity.
“We kept tossing the idea around while we were out salmon fishing,” Macy said with a laugh. “What if we moved here? Do you think the bakery would work?”
By the time they returned home to Orange County, their minds were made up.
“We packed up everything in three weeks,” Macy recalled. “It was crazy, but everything just kept falling into place. Dario was renting commissary kitchen space in California, and this girl from my workout studio said she needed it. She was thrilled to take it over. Then we found someone who wanted our apartment. It felt like the universe was telling us, ‘This is your path.’”
The family arrived in Bend in October 2023 and wasted no time.
“We saw the Old Mill District location in the first week of November,” Macy said. “Within four weeks of moving here, we had found what felt like the perfect spot. It just clicked.”
And the rest is history.
For Macy and Dario, M’s Bakery isn’t just about bread and pastries: it’s about creating something meaningful in a community that has embraced them with open arms.
“This place values small businesses in a way we hadn’t experienced before,” Macy said. “We felt like we could grow not just the bakery but also our family here. It’s everything we wanted.”
In the end, Macy attributes much of their success to Bend’s unique energy and their willingness to embrace change.
“It’s hard to describe,” she said. “But when you find the right place and the right time, things just… happen.”
The opening of M’s Bakery is an amazing addition to the Old Mill. Gone are the days of having to waste your time at a sit down restaurant. If one comes to Bend, they’re here because of the beautiful landscape and outdoor-centric community, and want to take in as much of that as possible. When you go to M’s, it’s clear how much heart and effort Macy and Dario have put in to make it a reality. M’s Bakery is not only a testament to their dedication but also a reminder that sometimes, taking a leap of faith can lead to something truly extraordinary.
