Each Great Harvest Bakery is independently and locally owned and operated. This location is owned and operated by Kevin Horne, a resident of Lincoln since 1999. Most days you can find me working away at the bakery.

My mission is to provide Lincoln with the freshest, most delicious, and most nutritous baked goods available anywhere. I love baking and love sharing our best products with our customers.

I also believe wholeheartedly in the Great Harvest Mission. Here it is for you again!

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself.

A. Kevin is a Hoosier from Indiana but lived in quite a few places during his upbringing, including Oregon, Montana, and Germany. Kevin went to Indiana University and studied public health. I have lived in Lincoln since 1999 after moving from Columbus, Ohio. I have two children, Lucy and Natalie, who attend Lincoln Public Schools.

A: As you have read, Kevin was in the corporate world working for National Research Corporation. At the time he left in November 2007 he was the Director of Research. While he loved his job and enjoyed working at NRC, something was missing.

A: It really was not a facination with baking. But for centuries, the baker was a core member of a community. Strong communities, it seemed, could not exist without one or more community bakeries. With the advent of the mega grocery store, it seems that the neighborhood bakery left with the neighborhood butcher, milkman, and diaper service.

I moved to Lincoln in 1999 and missed the presence of a really good neighborhood bakery. There were some good ones, but no place you could go and hang out, enjoy a good hot beverage, and relax. Plus, a bakery fits into my lifestyle. I have young kids so I am up early, but didn't want to be open late and have to work late nights. I am active in Lincoln and believe the bakery can benefit Lincoln and be a place that makes our community stronger.

So, why Great Harvest? I was familiar with Great Harvest by being a customer when I used to live in Columbus, Ohio. I always liked going into the bakery, having a big free slice of bread, and getting a great loaf of bread for home. It was one of those places you would drive across town to visit. In Columbus, Ohio, that was a big trek!

After many years of thinking about it, I decided to give it a go. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2004 and figured "now or never." It turns out that Great Harvest helps people open their own bakeries in communities across the country. I decided Lincoln was a perfect place for it. I applied, was accepted, and opened the bakery! So here we are!