Our sense of smell is directly linked with our memory. The brain’s connection to our nose is stronger than any other of the body’s five senses. That’s why when you smell a perfume, a blooming flower, or even a piece of clothing, you are instantly transported to the moment in your life when that scent was most prevalent in your life.
One of the best examples of that link between smell and memory happens on a regular basis at our Three Brothers Bakery stores. Time and again customers tell us of the glorious aroma that envelops them when they walk into any one of our three pastry shops. Though it’s the smell of our freshly baked challah, newly iced red velvet cupcakes and warm chocolate chip cookies that has attracted many of customers to us, the reason they continue to return is because we are a feast for all of their senses. We are Houston’s pastry shop.
First Impressions
The adage is true, “you only get one chance to make a first impression,” and in our stores that first impression is sweet to behold of edible delights. All of our customers are greeted with a hearty “Welcome to Three Brothers Bakery!” harkening back to a time when the brothers personally knew each and every customer that walked through their doors.
With our brightly lit cases and sumptuously decorated tables displaying our freshly-made baked goods, customers can’t resist falling in love with the smells, tastes, and sights of our stores. Often, we have samples of specialty products available for them to try. This allows even our youngest customers a chance to touch and taste some of our famous baked goods, giving them the opportunity to understand the magic that is Three Brothers Bakery.
Memories
Apart from the traditional five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch, is what we consider a sixth sense in our stores: memory. As this is our 70th year in business, we’re currently serving our 4th generation of customers. There isn’t a day that goes by when we don’t hear a customer share their memories of growing up alongside Three Brothers Bakery. We even have memory books, one at each of our stores. It is filled with comments from our customers and staff having fun and enjoying our sweets over the years.
Many tell stories of being brought to the bakery as a child by a grandparent for a sprinkle cookie. Now they’re bringing their own children to our stores. One bite and warm memories resurface in our customer’s minds.
One year on Christmas Eve, Janice noticed a young woman in her 20s sitting at a table with her grandparents. She was eating one of our dipped decorated cookies in the shape of a Christmas wreath. When Janice went over to ask the young woman and her grandparents why they were there on Christmas Eve, she was surprised to learn that it was her birthday. They had developed a tradition of eating a dipped decorated cookie every 24th of December at Three Brothers Bakery. The only year she had missed was in 2008 when our stores were closed due to Hurricane Ike. It was a tradition both she and her grandparents looked forward to every year.
Houston’s Pastry Shop
Bakeries, unlike any other store, have the ability to create wonderful memories that can last a person’s lifetime. At Three Brothers Bakery, we take that type of power very seriously. That’s why every customer that walks through our doors is treated like family. Our goal is to appeal to all of their senses, including their sixth one: memory!