During a time where diversity continues to flood Huntington, one local business aims to bring a love of food, culture and other people to Heritage Station.

“It started with a Kitchen-Aid mixer,” Ariel Barcenas Casiano, one of the owners of a new business in town, Nomada Bakery, said. “It arrived, and I opened the recipe book that came with it; I made a chocolate cake from scratch, and it was terrible, but after that cake, it was the first time I really researched baking- what makes the cakes dry, how ingredients react with each other, and how to make it better for next time.”

What began as a goal for the future has now came to fruition in Huntington. Nomada Bakery opened its doors last week in Heritage Station.

“I wanted a space where people can come and hang out, but with many different atmospheres in one so people from every walk of life can come and feel welcome,” Barcenas Casiano said. “Heritage Station seemed like the perfect spot, so I could not pass it up.”.

Barcenas Casiano said Nomada Bakery is intended to combine various flavors and cooking styles that come from an array of cultures.

“The menu is made up of all the places I have been and have brought back with me, and I want to implement those memories here and give other people the opportunity to experience them,” Casiano said. “Hopefully some of my food will make people curious of the places that the food originates from, like Panama, Argentina and Brazil. I want to emphasize foods that people may have never heard of, but I know they will like.”

When asked where his inspiration stemmed from, Barcenas Casiano said it came from baking with his grandmother as a child in Panama.

“I asked her why she still cooks for the entire family at her age, even though all the kids are grown up,” Barcenas Casiano said. “She said, ‘Everybody works and everyone is busy, and this is my way to show you guys I love you,’ so I want to do the same for my community. Seeing people enjoy and savor what I create brings me so much joy.”.

The bakery is designed to be accessible to everyone; a patio in front of the bakery is dog friendly, the business is a member of Huntington’s Open to All campaign and the prices are set to be reasonable enough for all social classes to enjoy, according to the owners. Despite all the food being made from scratch, Barcenas Casiano said he does not sacrifice quality for quantity.

“I think everyone should have access to good, quality food. As long as everyone gets paid and the business is running, I am not here to get rich,” Barcenas Casiano said. “Good, quality food should not be a luxury. The prices are low because I do not want my food to be exclusive.”

Nomada aims to provide a safe space for everyone while incorporating diversity into an intimate venue, according to Barcenas Casiano.

“In terms of diversity, you have a person of color from Panama and member of the LGBTQ community running such a wonderful business,” Justin Murphy, a Marshall University alum and barista at Nomada Bakery, said,  “which allows a lot of people to feel safe and welcome, as well as introduce and new environment to people who have maybe not experienced something similar before.”

“If I had to describe Nomada in one word, it would be special,” Murphy said. “As an employee, we feel very appreciated; we are very much made to feel important and like we bring something integral to the table.”

The owner said he aims to create a work environment that he never had in previous jobs, where everyone feels like a necessary part to the entire business and the community.

Sarah Rowe can be contacted at [email protected].