Walk into Old School Pastry Co. in downtown Marshfield, and the smell of fresh donuts is usually the first thing people notice. Stay a little longer, though, and it becomes clear the business is about much more than pastries.
For owner Alea Hearod, the shop is rooted in family, community and a little faith.
Hearod is a lifelong Marshfield resident with deep local ties. Both sets of her grandparents settled in Marshfield in the late 1970s. Her parents graduated from Marshfield High School in 1982, and she and her husband, Rick, are Marshfield graduates as well. Today, their three sons continue the family's connection to the community.
"I've been here my whole life," Hearod said. "Marshfield has always been home."
She remembers growing up in Girl Scouts, playing sports and helping Marshfield win a state softball championship around the turn of the century. Community involvement has always been part of her life, and today she hopes her business reflects that same spirit.
Old School Pastry Co. began as Old School Donut Shop, which opened about three years ago. Hearod wasn't planning to buy a bakery, but while returning from a family vacation she learned through social media that the business was closing.
"I just kept seeing it pop up," she said. "I thought it was really sad because it was something good for Marshfield."
Once she got home, she contacted the Lamar family, who had started the business. After walking through the shop and discussing the opportunity, she decided she didn't want to see it disappear.
Looking back, she believes the timing wasn't a coincidence.
"I tell everybody it was definitely a God thing," she said.
Baking has always been part of Hearod's family. Her great-grandmother owned a small café in Kansas, and the tradition continued through each generation. Her grandfather taught her how to make pies, while her mother passed along countless family recipes and cooking techniques.
"Our family gatherings have always centered around cooking and feeding people," Hearod said.
That family history inspired a new direction for the business.
Rather than remaining only a donut shop, Hearod renamed it Old School Pastry Co. and has gradually expanded the menu.
Fresh muffins, homemade pies, kolaches and other pastries have joined the lineup. Breakfast has become another specialty, with biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, artisan toast and sweet dough kolaches filled with sausage, eggs and cheese.
Hearod is especially known around town for her pies.
Over the years, she has baked for community fundraisers, benefit auctions and families facing difficult times. Helping others has become one of the bakery's biggest missions.
Cancer has touched her family more than once. Her grandmother survived breast cancer and is now 85 years old. Her grandson Hudson overcame his own battle with cancer. At the same time, Hearod has also experienced heartbreaking losses, including her father.
Those experiences have shaped how she approaches both life and business.
"We always want to give back," she said. "Anybody who's battling cancer or going through something difficult, we try to help."
She credits her late father for making the bakery possible. After his passing, careful planning and life insurance proceeds allowed the family to purchase the business when the opportunity came along.
"He really is the reason we were able to move so quickly," Hearod said. "He's kind of our inspiration behind the whole thing."
Today, Old School Pastry Co. continues to grow one recipe at a time. While donuts remain a customer favorite, Hearod enjoys introducing visitors to the bakery's expanding menu and homemade specialties.
"We're more than just donuts," she said with a smile.
Old School Pastry Co. is located at 118 Commercial Street in Marshfield. The bakery is open Thursday through Monday, opening at 6 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends, with closing time at 12:30 p.m. each day.
Customers can also find the bakery on Facebook by searching Old School Pastry Co., where daily specials and new menu items are regularly posted.
