In the cozy downtown of Easthampton, there’s a little bakery with a big heart.

Small Oven Bakery, beloved by locals for its buttery pastries, fresh bread, and comforting café atmosphere, is more than a place to grab a morning treat—it’s a reflection of community, persistence, and the quiet joy of doing what you love. At the heart of it all is Amanda Milazzo, co-founder, a baker whose journey into the food world has been shaped by people, passion, and growth.

Milazzo has worked her way through nearly every role—from bussing tables and prepping in the pantry to managing the floor. Her passion eventually led her to the sweeter side of things, and she enrolled in culinary school to study pastry, where she discovered a deep love for all things delicate and decadent, especially cakes. When she moved to the Pioneer Valley in 2005, Amanda quickly immersed herself in the region’s locavore movement, inspired by the bounty of local farms and dairies.

Milazzo’s career in the food industry spans over 15 years and began in a place many of us know well—the front of the house. “I really liked interacting with people,” she said. “I was a server at first, and it was something I really enjoyed doing.”

That enjoyment of customer interaction soon blended with a deeper realization: that making something for people can be just as rewarding as serving it.

“Food makes people feel happy,” she said. “I think that’s what led me into the kitchen—I realized I liked engaging with people, but also making something for them.”

Before Small Oven became a physical space in Easthampton, Milazzo was running a small cake business out of her house. It was meaningful work, but came with its own set of challenges.

“It’s just difficult to do things out of your home if you’re trying to grow the business at all,” she explained. “And so that kind of led to this,” she added, motioning to the thriving bakery she’s helped build.

When Small Oven opened its doors, Milazzo ran the bakery with her former business partner, Julie Copoulos. “She was into sourdough bread, and I was into cakes and pastries,” Milazzo said. “So we started with those things, and then just kind of grew. Sandwiches were kind of a natural progression from bread—we have bread here, so why not?”

Julie moved on from the business about seven years ago, which meant Milazzo had to take on new responsibilities and learn the other half of the operation.

“I obviously learned how to do her side of the business,” Milazzo said. “Now, there are lots of people that work here—people who are really good at things I’m not good at.” She laughed softly, her humility and appreciation for her team shining through. “There’s a lot more support now than in the very beginning.”

When asked what it’s been like to watch Small Oven grow into what it is today, Milazzo paused for a moment. “I do really think it’s really sweet that it’s a community space,” she said. “A lot of people that come in have been coming in every day for 11 years. You see them—it’s really nice in the morning to kind of see the same people.”

That deep-rooted sense of connection became even more evident during the height of the Covid pandemic.

“We stayed open through the whole thing,” Milazzo said. “We all got through Covid together.” She emphasized how Easthampton’s strength as a town helped sustain not only the business but the community surrounding it. “There’s just a really nice sense of community. Easthampton is such a great, strong community.”

Now, with Small Oven standing as a staple of downtown Easthampton—a bakery, cakery, café, and local landmark—Milazzo remains grounded in the same values that brought her into the food world: care, creativity, and connection. While she continues to lead with quiet strength, she also offers thoughtful advice for aspiring bakers and small business owners: grow at your own pace, work with people who complement your strengths, and remember why you started.

And in Small Oven’s case, the “why” has always been about more than food. It’s about showing up, every day, for a community that does the same in return.

Learn more at: https://smallovenbakes.com
Follow them on Instagram: @smallovenbakes