Naomi Lowe, who worked as Centre Manager for Pure Offices at The Blade, recently left us to pursue an exciting new venture – taking her back to her passion for gluten free baking with her business Nibsy’s.
From Tuesday 5th August Naomi be pitching up outside The Blade with Beryl – her brand new trailer – from 8am until 4pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays. Together with colleague Natalie, Nibsy’s will be serving freshly ground coffee from Winchester Coffee Roasters and tasty treats of handmade gluten-free bakes, including donuts, sausage rolls, millionaire shortbread, toasties, fluffy scones and more!
Naomi set up Nibsy’s over 10 years ago after her doctor suggested she try a gluten-free diet; she’d been suffering for some time with a variety of uncomfortable physical symptoms. Eliminating gluten was life-changing and led Naomi to want to make gluten-free living that little bit easier for people, specifically in the coffee and cake sector – most treats in coffee shops almost always contain gluten in one form another. She became fanatical about creating safe, tasty and special gluten-free bakes and in 2014 opened Reading’s first completely gluten-free shop, on Cross Street in the centre of town, calling it Nibsy’s – a nod to her nickname!
With an incredible team, including full-time bakers, Nibsy’s became a special place for gluten-free sweet and savoury treats (and some dairy-free and vegan options too). But in 2021, with two young boys, Naomi was keen to take a break from hospitality, handing the shop over to new owners, who re-named it Yaylo and kept it going as an entirely gluten-free shop.
She retained Nibsy’s as a business name, baking from home for occasional cake orders and markets, around working at Pure Offices and The Blade. But when an incredible new project came to light together with a permanent pitch for a coffee and cake mobile trailer on the front forecourt of Reading Train Station, the time for a new direction was clear!
We’re delighted to be helping support Nibsy’s return to Reading and are sure that all those working at The Blade will be excited to see Naomi at the back of The Blade near the brook!
Later this year Naomi will be moving Nibsy’s (and Beryl) from The Blade to the outside forecourt of Reading Train Station. The council are in the process of creating three pitches for local traders, so Nibsy’s will be part of a small community, with a local florist and a jacket potato trader too.