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Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region. If you would like to contribute to SFA’s oral history collections, please send your ideas for oral history along with your CV or Resume and a portfolio of prior oral history work to info@southernfoodways.org.

< Back to Oral History project: Charleston Chewies

< Back to Oral History project: Southern Baking

ORAL HISTORY

Chasity & Nathaniel Brown

Daddy's Girls Bakery

Although Chasity Brown, originally from Alabama, and Charleston, South Carolina native Nathaniel (Nate) Brown didn’t grow up baking, they separately discovered the craft as young adults. When they started dating, they bonded over their affinity for the hobby that would soon be their profession. While Chasity felt more inspired by cake design, Nate’s baking reputation took off when he started selling chewies at local barber shops, clubs, and hair salons on the weekends. The two opened Daddy’s Girls Bakery in 2016 with a kiosk at the Charleston International Airport, and booths at the Charleston Farmers Market and the downtown Charleston Night Market on Market Street. After years of building their customer base, the Browns opened a brick-and-mortar bakery on Reynolds Avenue in North Charleston, South Carolina, in 2021. They sell a variety of baked treats and ice cream, but their most popular menu item is the chewie, which they market sometimes through the “Chewie Cam.” The bakery is named after the couple’s five children.

Date of interview:
2023-06-08

Interviewer:
Stephanie Burt

Photographer:
Jonathan Cooper

Download Transcript

“

“I would say when he was in the beauty salons and beauty shops, sellin’ in the streets, and started making more money than his teaching career, that’s when we decided, 'I think we can do this full time.'” —Chasity Brown

“I have footage of like when we're here, at the market, or wherever we go, I record people—because we always pass out samples. That’s the trick, too. We also pass out samples and let them try it. Then we get the head jerk—'Oh my gosh! Oh! You gotta try this!' I love gettin that on camera, cause it happens often, you know?” —Nate Brown

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