Furman student grows baking business out of pandemic isolation

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A Furman University senior started her baked goods side hustle in 2020 — to spread joy and stay connected with friends and family amid a global pandemic.

Hana Hashioka, a pre-med student, tapped into her passion for cooking and baking — a passion she’s had from a young age — to create Hana’s Flour Shop.

“My mom worked at a culinary school, and I would spend every day there during the summers when I was younger,” said Hashioka. “This was when my passion for cooking and baking started. I got to experiment in the kitchen and learn from one of the best, my mom. I even starred on the first season of MasterChef Junior with Gordon Ramsey. When I was older, I started helping my mom with her business of catering tea parties. I also started baking for everything imaginable — school parties, friend get-togethers, or just for gifts. I love having friends over for dinners or sweet treats after a long day. I have a giving personality and love to bake for others; that is how this business idea originated.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Hashioka said her friends and family were craving her scones, so she took the opportunity to start a porch pick-up/drop-off baked goods operation.

“Baking was my way of spreading joy and staying connected with my friends and family amid the pandemic,” she said. “Here at Furman, I continue to spread my hobby of scones with peers and members of the community. I have always loved nature, especially flowers. During my free time, I take my camera out to take pictures of the flowers around me. My love for flowers sparked the idea for the name and play on words. I wanted a clever name that incorporated my love for baking and nature.”

Hashioka said a gap exists between scone lovers and those who are reluctant to give them a second chance.

“Many may misconceive scones as dry hockey pucks, but I assure you that is not the case with my scones,” she added. “I find myself describing them as sweet and more tender biscuits — like baked goods to people who have never had them before. It is even a form of stress relief for me whenever I need a break from my busy days of school and softball.”

Although Hashioka enjoys baking for others, she has always seen it as a side hustle and never thought of pursuing it full time, she said, as she’s on track to become an orthopedic surgeon with a specialty in sports medicine.

“I look forward to continuing my scone side hustle when time allows for it during medical school and beyond,” she said.