Lisa & Jacob 2013 / Lisa, Jacob & their little ones 2017
Petunia’s Pies & Pastries® is a flourishing gluten-free and vegan baking business that was built from the ground up by co-owner Lisa Clark. Her creative vision began years earlier in her childhood kitchen, where she learned to bake alongside her mother, Kathy. Through her mother’s traditional baking and both parents’ guidance, Lisa learned how to express love through creation, nourishment, and care for others. From an early age, it became clear that sweet treats, creativity, acts of service, and nurturing people were central to who she was—and what she needed to do to thrive.
When Lisa was just 12 years old, her mother passed away after a seven-year battle with ALS. This loss profoundly shaped her life. Later, while attending the University of Oregon, Lisa began experiencing serious health issues and was forced to eliminate gluten and dairy from her diet. She would eventually be diagnosed with Lyme disease as well, leading to additional challenges along the way. Through it all, Lisa kept moving forward, guided by her father’s words: “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” That message became a cornerstone of her resilience—and ultimately, of Petunia’s.
After graduating from college and working in two formative baking jobs where she learned the ins and outs of production baking and decorating, Lisa had an idea: to start a niche gluten-free and vegan baking business from her tiny home kitchen in Portland, Oregon. She named the business after her mother’s ceramic pig, Petunia, which hung on the wall above the stovetop in her childhood kitchen—honoring both her mother and the place where her love of baking began.
In 2009, at just 23 years old, Lisa founded Portland’s very first entirely gluten-free and vegan bakery: Petunia’s Pies & Pastries®. What started as a small farmers market operation quickly grew beyond anything she had imagined. On her own, Lisa expanded the business into major Portland-area wholesale markets (now available in over 75 locations), weddings and event services, and nationwide shipping. Along the way, she built a loyal following and became a trusted name in Portland’s food community.
One of Petunia’s very first wholesale clients was a small coffee shop called Spoke Coffee on SE Main Street. Jacob Williamson—one of Spoke’s owners and its sole employee at the time—began carrying Petunia’s treats after customers repeatedly requested them. Lisa was still handling all baking, packaging, and deliveries herself, and the day she delivered to Spoke changed her life forever. It was love at first sight.
Jacob began baking with Lisa after closing his café each day, quickly becoming a vital support during a period of rapid growth. He eventually sold Spoke Coffee and joined Petunia’s full-time. A few years later, Lisa and Jacob were married, Jacob became a co-owner, and together they continued nurturing what they lovingly called “baby Petunia.”
In 2013, Lisa and Jacob opened their first brick-and-mortar, full-service café in downtown Portland’s West End. Today, they are raising three energetic young boys while continuing to run the business with care, intention, and heart—showing up every day to serve their community.
At Petunia’s Pies & Pastries®, everything we create is made with purpose, passion, and attention to detail. Our treats are designed to delight every kind of tummy—gluten-free, vegan, or otherwise. We believe food should be inclusive, joyful, and comforting, and we are proud to show our customers that dietary restrictions never mean missing out on the sweeter side of life.