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Small Fire Is No Setback For Fredonia Bakery

“Little miracles get us through,” said Jessamine Daly-Griffen, who is pictured in Om Nohm. Submitted photo

When Jessamine Daly-Griffen, owner of Om Nohm Gluten Free bakery, received the call that her establishment at 45 Temple St. was on fire Monday, she raced to get there all the while trying to focus on what message was being sent spiritually.

“I feel like we have just been carried through all of the difficulty,” Daly-Griffen said. “It’s such a reminder of how much we need each other as people and that our relationships with our community and with each other gives us that level of protection that we need to get through the hard times.”

Recently Daly-Griffen spoke on a podcast in Lily Dale about how people have helped the business get through. That when things got financially difficult during COVID-19, that random money was left by good samaritans in the community. Sometimes even more product was found in the store that she didn’t remember being there before.

“All these little miracles get us through,” Daly-Griffen added. “When I got the call that the bakery was on fire I was just stunned. I’ve never experienced a fire before, I was really scared.

“I didn’t know what it would mean for our family and our friends. I didn’t know if the tenants upstairs were safe, I didn’t know if it was going to shut us down completely. So I began asking myself, ‘What is the lesson in this?’ because I keep saying that ‘As long as I can find the flour I will make the bread.’ What is the lesson in our building burning now? I was trying to seek that path and we arrived and they had put the fire out; it had not even affected the inside of the building.”

The firefighters told her once she arrived that the fire had been mostly contained to the outside of the building. Once she ventured inside, she found the interior wall pristine. She said that no one would ever even have known it burned.

The firefighters examined the cause and said it appeared to be a garbage fire, which she had found confusing.

“I couldn’t think of anything in our garbage that would be flammable,” she said. “I kept saying to them that something feels off, we don’t have garbage that would be burning, we don’t have a grill top or grease, it’s mostly wet dough.”

The firefighters didn’t have any other explanation and considered that it may have been a lit cigarette or something of that effect.

“It’s going to be handled. The insurance company is doing their investigative work to take care of the building,” Daly-Griffen said. “I think the message that came through so strong for me was, ‘Yes, we’re supposed to continue because the kitchen was protected.’ Everything is safe and perfect and we don’t have to wait. We can just continue.”

Om Nohm was one of seven businesses chosen for season five of Small Business Revolution in the village along with Nyce and Clean, The Hair Bar Salon, Fresh and Fancy Floral Design Studio, Lena’s Pizza, Subs and Wings, Vineyards Golf Course, and the Literacy Volunteers of Chautauqua County.

They continue to be open for pick-up only from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday as well as taking part in the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays.

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