If you’re not looking for it, you might walk right past it.
Tucked between two buildings along Pittsburgh Street in Mars, a narrow opening leads to Novel Breads Company — marked by orange and yellow footprints on the pavement guiding visitors from the sidewalk to a small storefront. Above the door, a sign reads Artisan Bread. Another bears the shop’s name. Together, they hint that something intentional — and a little unexpected — waits inside.
The shop belongs to Heather Sprague, owner of Novel Breads Company, who jokingly refers to herself as a “literary baker.” It’s a fitting description for a business that blends her lifelong love of reading with more than two decades of sourdough baking — even though the bread itself is baked miles away, in a rented commercial kitchen on Main Street in Butler.
“I wanted to combine my two interests, which were bread and books,” Sprague said. “I toyed around with that idea for a long time before it finally came together.”
A Long Fermentation
Sprague didn’t rush into business ownership. She spent nearly ten years considering different paths — food blogging, opening another type of shop, even imagining what might be possible while living in Portland, Oregon. But when she returned to Western Pennsylvania to be closer to family, something clicked.
“I was ready to make a change,” she said.
Her baking roots run deep. Sprague has been working with sourdough for more than 20 years, learning largely through experimentation and curiosity rather than family tradition. One formative experience came while volunteering at Gould Farm, a rehabilitation farm for people living with mental illness, where a coworker first introduced her to bread baking.
“It just sort of lit a fire from there,” she said.
Bread Inspired by Books
Everything Sprague makes is sourdough — from traditional loaves to English muffins, bagels, pretzels, and specialty breads. But what sets Novel Breads apart is the way literature weaves into the menu.
“Some of my breads are inspired from books I’ve read,” she explained. “And I carry the books the breads were inspired from.”
Flavor ideas come from unexpected places: a line in a novel, a historical setting, or a passing detail that sparks curiosity. From there, Sprague experiments — tinkering with ingredients until the balance feels right.
Sprague also makes a number of her own ingredients to deepen flavor and quality — part of her larger goal of creating more than artisan bread. She sees her work as an opportunity to expand customers’ understanding of what sourdough can be, turning each loaf into a new experience.
“I toy with it until I get the right configuration,” she said.
She sources specialty flours from Frankferd Farms in Saxonburg and isn’t afraid to push boundaries. One of her secret ingredients? Beer — which even finds its way into her croissants.
One ingredient, however, is strictly off-limits.
“Raisins,” she said without hesitation. “I just despise raisins.”
More Than a Storefront
Novel Breads Company has existed for eight years, but the brick-and-mortar shop has been open for four. Before that, Sprague sold exclusively through farmers markets and shows. Opening the store allowed her to fully realize the concept — bringing books and bread together under one roof.
Behind the scenes, the work is relentless. Sprague bakes in a commercial kitchen on Main Street in Butler, often mixing dough the night before, waking early to bake, then transporting, bagging, managing social media, and running the shop — all while planning future events.
“The sheer amount of work… it’s a lot more than people realize,” she said.
Yet, despite the demands, it’s the relationships that sustain her.
“I have really good customers,” Sprague said. “I have personal connections with them — and that’s what I wanted.”
Customers share book recommendations, ideas, and feedback, shaping what appears on the shelves and in the bread baskets.
Rooted in Community, Looking Ahead
Sprague also participates in the Neighbor Loaves Initiative, a regional program led by Chatham University that began during the height of COVID to support local bakeries, farms, and millers while providing fresh bread to those in need. Customers can donate any amount in-store or online, and Novel Breads Company bakes loaves made with at least 50% locally grown and milled grains. Those loaves are donated to the Evans City Food Cupboard. Novel Breads is one of just six bakeries in the region participating.
Sprague believes deeply in the potential of Mars.
“It’s quaint. It’s a great walking town,” she said. “If people know to come and spend the day, they’ll find all the different treasures in the nooks and crannies.”
Word of mouth has been critical for a business that doesn’t fit neatly into a category. Novel Breads is more than a bakery. More than a bookstore. It’s an experience that has to be shared.
Full disclosure: The 228 Times purchased a package of Novel Breads Company’s sourdough English muffins during a visit to the shop. Served the next morning as part of a homemade breakfast sandwich, they offered a simple but memorable introduction to the quality of Sprague’s baking.
Looking ahead, Sprague dreams of bringing everything under one roof — baking, retail, and events — so customers can experience the smell of bread as it bakes and linger longer over stories and conversation.
What makes her most proud?
“That eight years later, I’m still going,” she said. “Because it’s been hard work all along.”
At Novel Breads Company, bread is nourishment — but stories are, too. And in Heather Sprague’s hands, both are treated with patience, curiosity, and care.
Upcoming Event: A Sourdough Experience
A Sourdough Experience invites participants to spend a Sunday afternoon learning the essentials of sourdough, working with dough, tasting a variety of breads, and exploring the nuances of naturally fermented baking.
When: Sunday, March 1, 2026, 2–4 p.m.
Where: The Venue on Main, in Butler
Cost: $75 per person (pre-registration required)
The class includes two loaves (one pre-baked, one dough to take home), a sourdough starter, and bread sampling. Participants are asked to bring their own bowl and apron.
Registration is available through Novel Breads Company.
