Kip, Community, and Really Good Bread

Davis and Kara Larsen share how Bussin’ Bread grew from a 100-year-old sourdough starter into one of Cache Valley’s Favorite Bakeries

In a small live-work townhouse on Wolfpack Way in North Logan, something remarkable is happening — and it started more than a century ago during Alaska’s Klondike Gold Rush.

In 2022, Davis Larsen spent the summer in Skagway, Alaska, driving tour buses to earn money for school at Utah State University (USU). While there, he learned about prospectors traveling through the brutal Alaskan winters carrying sourdough starter in small pouches around their necks to keep it alive and warm when commercial yeast couldn’t survive the conditions.

Fascinated by the history, Davis posted in a local Facebook group asking if anyone had sourdough starter to share.

What he received was extraordinary.

A Skagway local gifted him a starter that had reportedly been passed down for more than 127 years. Davis named it “Kip,” and that living piece of history became the foundation of his future as a baker and a businessman.

“It’s such a powerful way to build community.”

“Initially, it was the history of it,” Davis said of what first drew him to sourdough. “But one of my favorite things about sourdough is that it’s such a powerful way to build community.”

Back in Utah, Davis met Kara James, and somewhere between baking focaccia and building a relationship, the two realized they were onto something. What started as a shared interest quietly grew into a shared vision. Eventually, they even served their handcrafted sourdough to family and friends at their own wedding reception.

After graduating from USU, Davis and Kara spent time considering internships and traditional career paths. But nothing they found excited them quite like their growing passion for sourdough. So, instead of stepping into corporate jobs, they took a leap of faith.

With two Dutch ovens, a deep love for baking, and the sourdough starter named Kip, the couple launched a tiny micro-bakery that has since grown into Bussin’ Bread, their bustling shop in North Logan that serves handcrafted sourdough loaves, focaccia, baguettes, ciabatta, English muffins, pastries, and more. All of the baked goods are naturally fermented and made from scratch.

Make no mistake, the Larsens’ bread is exceptional. But spend even a few minutes at Bussin’ Bread and it quickly becomes clear that the business is really about people.

Each loaf is made using simple, intentional ingredients: organic flour from Central Milling, water, salt, and, of course, Kip. The process takes 36 hours from start to finish, beginning Sunday afternoon with careful preparation of the starter and ending with fresh loaves pulled from the oven on Tuesday mornings, just in time for customers walking through the door.

“We want people to feel remembered and valued...”

But what can’t be shared in a recipe is the feeling.

Customers aren’t rushed in and out of the bakery. They’re greeted by Davis’ big, friendly smile, remembered, and they often linger a little longer to catch up. It’s not uncommon to see conversations unfolding across the counter, names exchanged, stories shared. There’s an ease to it, a sincerity that’s hard to manufacture.

Kara and Davis don’t just run a business; they build relationships.

“We want people to feel remembered and valued,” Kara said. “Honestly, we want them to feel like family.”

Part of what makes their bread so special is something most people don’t realize: Sourdough isn’t just a recipe, it’s alive.

“Most people don’t realize that sourdough isn’t just a type of bread,” Davis said. “It’s a living ecosystem.”

Unlike commercial bread made with instant yeast, sourdough relies on wild yeast and beneficial bacteria that slowly ferment the dough over time, creating its flavor while also improving digestibility and nutrient absorption. “What looks like a simple loaf is actually the result of time, care, and a delicate balance of nature,” he said.

Running a business as a couple comes with its own challenges, but for Davis and Kara, it’s been a source of growth.

Their strengths naturally complement each other. Kara focuses on the customer experience, new recipes, and the creative side of the brand, while Davis leans into the science of bread-making and manages the logistics behind the scenes. Together, they’ve grown from baking just a couple of loaves a day to producing around 200.

“I’ve personally loved watching Davis in his element, pursuing his passion,” Kara said. “I think that’s a big reason it has been so successful.”

There’s a quiet admiration between Davis and Kara that shows an understanding that this business isn’t just about bread, but about partnership, trust, and shared purpose.

“Everyone should have a Kara in their life,” Davis said, “just not mine — she’s taken!”

Ask them what Cache Valley means to them, and their answer comes easily: home.

From their time at USU to building Bussin’ Bread from the ground up, they’ve found a sense of belonging that continues to shape their business. They talk about community not just as customers, but as relationships. As neighbors. As people who show up for each other, and that mindset is woven into everything they do.

As Bussin’ Bread continues to grow, Kara and Davis have simple hopes: to reach more people and make quality bread accessible to everyone.

But some things, they say, will never change: They’ll always keep the ingredients simple. They’ll always rely on sourdough. And they’ll always keep the heart of what they’re doing at the center of it all.

Because for them, success isn’t just about what they bake; it’s about how people feel when they leave.

“Success is keeping our customers fed with better bread and smiling along the way,” they said. “For us, it’s measured by the people we’re able to make feel loved.”