Flour Power!

Dorothy and Hurtis Hadley’s Milwaukie Pastry Kitchen upholds a Five Decade Legacy of Craft, Community, and Legacy

The first Black-owned business in Milwaukie and the first Black-owned bakery in the State of Oregon

Rooted in Milwaukie, Oregon, and nurtured by the founding director, Seyona Bela i’s profound vision, Toolbox celebrates and elevates craft-trade professionals—the skilled athletes of the building industry. Through storytelling, exhibitions, and collaboration, the non-profit organization sheds light on the often-unseen resilience of craft-trade laborers, amplifying their daily impact on the built world.

No family embodies the principles of igniting pride and recognition for the trades, as strongly as the Hadley’s. Hurtis Mixon Hadley and Dorothy Jean Bishop Hadley’s Milwaukie Pastry Kitchen (opened 1977; closed 1985) was the first Black-owned business in Milwaukie and the first Black-owned bakery in the State of Oregon. Located at 10607 SE Main Street, Milwaukie Pastry Kitchen was a full-line bakery offering specialty breads, assorted pastries, and creative birthday and wedding cakes, wherein Hurtis operated in the kitchen as Dorothy coordinated the catering service, extended greetings and service to customers. It was hard to miss the cheer echoing through the bakery as one would notice the entryway decorated with a rug proudly displayed the bakery’s joyous slogan, “Put a Little Soul in Your Roll.”

Toolbox invites all community members to join them in remembering the family’s journey from their beginnings in Vanport till date, through an historic exhibition featuring never-before-seen photographs, store equipment, and even recipes from the Hadley’s bakery and home. Opening on April 3, 2026, serving a feast of Soul food, the Hadley’s take center stage at the Toolbox Gallery—as trailblazing bakers, union members, and advocates

for racial justice, craft, and community prosperity.