It’s Women’s History Month, and at BumbleBar, we are celebrating woman-owned businesses!
Did you know BumbleBar is a woman-owned business? Founder and owner Liz Ward used her passion for health food and the environment to create the first energy bar back in 1995.
Here in Spokane, we have many female business owners doing incredible things in the gluten-free, and vegan categories. Here are a few we’re excited about right now:
Larissa Warren, Bee You s
Larissa opened her skincare and makeup shop in the Perry District just a few months ago. When she was 16, she was hit by a drunk driver and had permanent scarring on her face that was aggravated by conventional skincare products. That’s when she began making her own natural, good-for-you skincare formulas.
Bee You s uses food grade, certified and cruelty-free ingredients. She handcrafts her products in-shop and focuses on being eco-friendly with zero waste options and a recycle and reuse program.
Alison Collins, Boots Bakery & Lounge
Boots is hands-down the place to go in Spokane for delicious vegan and gluten-free food and pastries. Owner Alison Collins opened shop in 2012 with 10 years of bartending experience and tons of her own vegan recipes.
Everything at Boots is vegan, and about 95% is gluten-free. Alison focuses on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. You’ll find savory dishes in the deli case, like mac & cheese, roasted veggie frittatas, and curried lentils. Then there’s the baked goodness: cupcakes, muffins, brownies, no-bake cookies. My current favorite is the pumpkin waffle with chai butter!
Hannah Brown, Turned Gluten and Dairy Free
After Hannah learned her young son was anaphylactic to several foods, she discovered her own food sensitivities, too. But she didn’t let that stop her from having delicious treats. She created her own free-from versions of what she craved.
She makes delectable raw cheesecakes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free, and peanut-free, with lots of nut-free and egg-free options. You can buy her desserts at My Fresh Basket or Cole’s Bakery & Cafe, or find her at the Kendall Yards Night Market, and other local markets and street fairs.
Atania Gilmore, Allie’s Vegan Pizzeria & Cafe
She planned to try going vegan for only one month. But when the last day came and went, Atania stayed vegan. She loved how great she felt, and down the road, she decided to go for her dream of opening a vegan eatery and started Allie’s in 2015.
The 100% vegan restaurant serves pizzas with cashew-based cheeses, like barbecue chick’n and wild mushroom. Other items include a falafel rice bowl and a bacon cheeseburger. Allie’s does offer gluten-free options for the pizzas, and many of their desserts are gluten-free, too!
