By Jim Boyle
Ryman Maxwell is a man on a mission.
Not only does he want to serve up delicious food made from as many locally grown ingredients as possible, he also wants to continue making Perkasie a premier Bucks County destination for community supported business, rivaling similar boroughs in Doylestown and Newtown.
“The whole world needs to start thinking smaller,” said Maxwell, a Jersey boy who moved to Perkasie 14 years ago. “We need to get away from the big corporations and chains and get back to the neighborhoods and become a part of the local fabric. I’ve had tremendous support from the neighborhood.”
He credits the warm reception by the Perkasie community for the success of his Down to Earth Cafe and the recent opening of the Bread Box & Bakery, located about a mile away from the restaurant at 619 W. Market St.
“It’s been good at the bakery since we opened,” said Maxwell, on the phone from the Bread Box & Bakery while helping customers as they popped in for a fresh pastry. “It has been very well-received. We’re just sticking to the motto of high-quality food with ingredients sourced locally.”
The new bakery held a soft opening in July, with a formal grand opening celebration scheduled for September 16th to September 20th, with special deals and discounts planned for the entire week leading up to the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday. The menu features an exhaustive selection of artisan breads, muffins, scones, croissants and more. Maxwell says that the bread will also be used to support Down to Earth’s breakfast, lunch and dinner fare, and he has also reached agreements with several local restaurants to supply the bread at wholesale prices.
Maxwell started his adventure in the food industry five years ago in 2009, during the height of a crippling economic crisis that did not seem friendly to new businesses, especially one as risky as a restaurant.
“It was beyond bad back then, one of the worst we’ve seen and hopefully that we will ever see,” said Maxwell. “We survived by focusing on the quality and originality of the food. Community supported agriculture really put Bucks on the map. It takes a community to support a community.”
Down to Earth offers up seasonal dining made from locally grown and sourced ingredients, such as mushrooms from Ketten Square, Pa., or burgers made from cattle farmed in Blooming Glen, Pa.
As the years progressed, Maxwell found himself spending most of his time performing baking tasks, eventually nudging him to open the dedicated bakery. He now relies on the skills of three full-time employees and two apprentices to prevent spreading himself too thin between the two locations.
Bread Box and Bakery is located at 619 W. Market St., Perkasie, Pa. Hours: Tues.-Sat. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with possible expanded hours available later into fall. For more information, call (215) 257-5057.
Down to Earth Cafe is located at 1141 North 5th St., Perkasie, Pa. Hours: Tues-Thurs. 7 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri. 7 a.m.-8 p.m; Sun. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call (215) 258-2233.
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