Derek Weigle, one of Eaton High School’s math teachers, is a man of many hobbies. Not only is he passionate about algebra, but he is also a great baker. In years past, Weigle baked for fun, sometimes bringing sourdough to school for his students to enjoy. However, he has recently opened up an official business: Iusticia Bakery.
“Iusticia” is a Latin word that means justice. Weigle has expressed the importance of justice, even making it his “word of the year” at EHS. He said, “It was kind of just a lucky coincidence that it was a beautiful word and also means something to me.” Iusticia Bakery was born after many years of experience. Weigle has been baking sourdough as a hobby for about eight years, but just recently decided to make a business out of it. He said, “My wife started a mobile bookstore. Watching her work to start her own business and with her encouragement, she gave me the faith that I could actually pull it off.”
The process of starting a business was no problem for Weigle. He explained that the main concern was making a good product. In this case, the product is bread. After mastering his sourdough recipe, he got an LLC, secured a tax license, took an online food safety class, bought a bread oven, and started an Instagram page. His goal is to “just keep customers happy and keep the products as consistent as possible.”
Though Weigle has not officially decided what products he will sell, he has made sure to start with sourdough. Student Lila DeJager (26) said, “I love Weigle’s bread. I think that he is so talented. I like how fluffy it is, and how it’s good for your gut. You can tell it is good, homemade sourdough. Overall, I love everything about it.” Through providing loaves for people around him to try, Weigle has exposed many to his business and has gained clientele. He is confident with his skills in making bread, and wants to avoid getting overwhelmed with several complicated products. He said, “I’m going to slowly add more things. Tortillas, bagels, English muffins, biscuits, croissants, [and] cinnamon rolls are all things that I’m kicking around. I just don’t know if I’m going to actually offer them on the menu, or just tell people [that] if they’re interested in something other than the bread to contact me and make a plan.”
As a full-time teacher, many expected Weigle to find the two jobs difficult to juggle simultaneously. However, he has expressed that that is not the case, and how his love for baking makes the work worthwhile. He said, “I have had the exact amount of time I need. It’s just, now that I’m doing both, I have absolutely no spare time. I’ve had to give up relaxing, but it’s been fine. I’m enjoying it, and I’m happier this way.”
In the future, Weigle sees the bakery growing into his full-time job. He explained that he will keep doing deliveries and pickup from his home for a while, then get a stand to bring to farmer’s markets and events, and finally purchase an actual storefront. “I see that happening in quite a few years,” he said. Weigle is hopeful for the growth of his business, but does not plan on leaving EHS just yet.
Be sure to visit @iusticiabakery on Instagram, try a loaf of sourdough, and wish Mr. Weigle good luck on his new endeavor.
