Key Points
- Southern Yankee will close its brick-and-mortar store after nearly eight years as its owner shifts focus to a new venture.
- Wilton Kneads aims to create a nonprofit bakery employing adults with disabilities.
- The effort builds on community support and partnerships with local programs.
Why It Matters: This story highlights a purpose-driven shift toward expanding opportunities for adults with disabilities, showing how one local business owner is leveraging community support to create more inclusive employment in Wilton.
Wilton residents may be surprised to learn that after nearly eight years in business, the custom monogram and gift shop Southern Yankee (237 Danbury Rd.) will close its doors on May 15.
For owner Jennifer Angerame, the decision isn’t about shuttering a business — it’s about seizing another business opportunity with even more community impact.
“This is a happy thing. I chose this,” Angerame said. “I am just choosing a new path. It’s a good thing.”
That “new path” is taking Wilton Kneads — a nonprofit bakery venture which Angerame co-founded in 2024 with fellow Wilton resident Jennifer Iannuzzi — to the next level. The plan is to open a retail bakery location in Wilton that will provide meaningful job training and employment opportunities for young adults with special needs.
One Door Closes…
Angerame announced her plans to close Southern Yankee in a social media post earlier this month, saying in part:
“This decision did not come easily. Southern Yankee has been such a huge part of my life, filled with creativity, community, friendships, and memories I will always cherish. I am so grateful to everyone who supported the business over the years.”
In a conversation with GOOD Morning Wilton, Angerame marveled at the Wilton community’s support for Southern Yankee over the years.
“I did a pop-up for eight weeks… and then I never left,” Angerame said. “I think because our town is a very tight-knit, supportive town, I was able to grow [Southern Yankee] in a great direction.”
Angerame emphasized that her decision to close was not driven by a business decline or any issues with the Wilton business environment, such as foot traffic or landlord issues (to the contrary, she praised Rick Tomasetti as a “great landlord” and business supporter).
“This is not a sign that businesses can’t thrive in this town, because they can,” she said. “I’m doing it because I’ve got another idea that I think is going to benefit our town even more.”
… And Another Door Opens
Angerame is turning her full attention to Wilton Kneads, which has been operating as a “cottage business” since 2024 when it launched with a clear mission:
“At Wilton Kneads, we believe everyone deserves a place to shine. That’s why we’re opening a nonprofit bakery that provides meaningful employment for adults with special needs. More than just a bakery, we’re creating a space where ability is celebrated, and community thrives — one delicious bite at a time. By supporting us, you’re not just buying baked goods, you’re helping to build brighter futures.”
“I’ll be shifting my energy and heart into [Wilton Kneads],” Angerame explained. “This next chapter is deeply personal and purpose-driven, and I’m excited to pour the same passion for creativity and community into something that helps others shine.”
Wilton Kneads has earned rave reviews from customers for its sourdough bread, granola and a variety of delectable baked goods.
Angerame described a turning point for Wilton Kneads that came with the First Annual Great Wilton Bake Off event — a fundraiser which took place in March at Trackside Teen Center.
“The town showed up… it was so amazing to see all the different people there,” Angerame said. “With the success of the Bake Off, we really feel empowered and excited.”
Angerame says the fundraising success gave the nonprofit the confidence and financial boost it needed to begin the process of opening a full-fledged, brick-and-mortar bakery in Wilton that employs people with disabilities.
The effort to find a suitable location is now underway, and though Angerame isn’t ready to reveal a timeline, she hopes it will be a reality very soon.
“We are going as fast as we can,” Angerame said.
A key component of Wilton Kneads will be partnering with Community Steps, Wilton Public Schools’ transition program for young adults with disabilities.
“The initial goal is Community Steps will come over and bake with us,” Angerame explained. “Those would be the kids we’d be training, and then after they graduate, if they want to work at a bakery, they can apply for a job.”
Angerame says there are currently very few opportunities in the area for students with special needs to get experiences that will lead to meaningful employment when they leave school. Wilton Kneads will provide that training while also giving Wilton residents a hometown bakery — something Angerame believes many residents are clamoring for.
To place an online order, make a donation or learn more about Wilton Kneads, visit the Wilton Kneads website or Facebook page.
Southern Yankee’s website will continue to offer Angerame’s merchandise for baby, gifts and home.