Walter Pat’s Bakery Cafe Wins 2025 Comerica Hatch Contest

Walter Pat’s Bakery Café, a Black woman-owned, small-batch bakery, has won the 2025 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown, earning a $100,000 grant to open a brick-and-mortar location. Founded by pastry chef Lauren Ellis, the bakery is named after her grandmother and specializes in viennoiseries like croissants, brioche, and Danish pastries, using seasonal Michigan ingredients and Southern-Midwestern flavors.

Credit: Walter Pat’s Bakery Café

Ellis, who has worked in New York, Chicago, and Sydney, plans to open the café in Detroit’s District 5—an area rich in history and personal significance. The win was determined through public voting and a live pitch event, where Walter Pat’s stood out among four finalists.

TechTown and Comerica Bank praised the bakery’s vision and community impact. “We’re proud to support Walter Pat’s as it becomes a staple in Detroit’s small business ecosystem,” said Christianne Malone of TechTown. Comerica’s Meghan Storey added, “We look forward to watching this company flourish.”

Credit: Walter Pat’s Bakery Café

This marks the 13th year of the Hatch Detroit Contest, which has awarded over $1.3 million in grants since 2012. Walter Pat’s joins a legacy of winners contributing to Detroit’s revitalization through entrepreneurship.

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