Dough Punchers bakery opening soon in Bluffton

Nick Daugherty has spent his whole life around food.

Not only does he have 12 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, but some of his earliest memories were in his parents' restaurant. As he grew up, so did the business, which was built "from the ground up."

He struck out on his own at 18, working various jobs under different chefs, learning new techniques until he decided to follow in his parents' footsteps with his own business: Dough Punchers.

An old-fashioned nickname for bakers, Dough Punchers is expected to open in a couple of weeks in Bridge Center, at 1536 Fording Island Road, Suite 104, across the street from Moss Creek in Bluffton.

Daugherty said the bakery will specialize in artisan breads, with a menu including favorites such as honey wheat and rye, in addition to more "exotic" flavors such as black-bean chipotle bread and dark beer and grits bread.

Cultural bread, such as naan, will also be featured.

But the menu won't always be the same.

"There will always be stable fan favorites, but there will also be something very different every week," Daugherty said.

I don't know if you can get more different from bread with beer and grits, but OK, we'll see if Daugherty is up for the challenge.

On the sweeter side, Dough Punchers will sell wedding cakes, birthday cakes, eclairs, cream puffs and pastries. Whole cakes, as well as cakes by the slice, will be sold, in flavors such as German chocolate and red velvet.

"We'll be selling pretty much everything but donuts," Daugherty said, although he added he would like to eventually add that to the menu as well.

He said he has been bringing his products to farmers markets and local events to get his brand out in the neighborhood.

"I hope to do a lot ... with restaurant and hotel supply," he said. "We want to provide them with bread because it's better than what you can get from warehouse suppliers."

Eventually, Daugherty hopes to offer bread deliveries to doorsteps, too. So you won't even have to leave home to get your carb fix.

That's a concept I can get behind.

Details: 843-540-1572

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Dough Punchers bakery opening soon in Bluffton."