During the pandemic lockdown in 2020, breadmaking quickly became a soothing activity that many turned to as a cure for boredom and to quell anxiety. Timothy Nordmann was ahead of the curve, having gotten in on the hobby in 2014. For Nordmann, however, the hobby was initially a source of frustration more so than peace.
“Every once in a while, I'll pick up a hobby that just annoys me to no end and I can't get it right and I will not let it down until I just get good at it,” Nordmann told St. Louis on the Air. “Breadmaking was one of those things that I became obsessed with.”
Nordmann started making bread during a transitional period after leaving his long-standing career as a videographer. When he finally got the knack of sourdough, he decided to make his hobby-turned-passion into his new career before he even had a brick-and-mortar location.
The story of Mr. Meowski’s on St. Charles’ Historic Main Street, which opened in 2021, was one riddled with serendipity, kindness and perseverance. Unbeknownst to Nordmann, it would also be a source of inspiration for millions.
“There are so many amazing things that came together and happened,” said Nordmann. “When I take time to reflect on it, it keeps me awestruck, like how kind everybody is and was, and the people that came together to make it all happen. It's been amazing.”
This gratitude prompted Nordmann to tell his stories on TikTok. In April, he shared the story about acquiring the oven he uses to bake hundreds of loaves every week. The video gained traction – gaining 10,000 views within the hour. Another TikTok creator, Jolly Good Ginger, reshared the video with his reaction to his more than 5 million followers, and Nordmann’s earnest video went viral soon after.
Over 1 million views later and lines for Mr. Meowski’s are out the door.
“The amount of people that we've been able to welcome through the door has been amazing,” said Nordmann. “Everybody has been incredibly supportive. People are coming in to tell and share their stories. The video means so much; it's something different to everybody.”
Nordmann says his audience uplifts him just as much as he uplifts them. In another video where Nordmann spoke about feeling like the products he serves to customers aren’t good enough, his comment section was filled with viewers encouraging him to focus on the support for him and the bakery.
“A lot of strangers that I don't know shed light on what's going on with me as a person, which I just thought that's incredible,” said Nordmann. “I think that's what TikTok and the internet is all about: being able to share your story. It's a two-way street. The comments section, in this particular case, was a really good blessing because it snapped me out and brought me back to reality.”
To learn more about Nordmann, the lore behind Mr. Meowski’s namesake and the faux pas that resulted in Nordmann’s beloved sourdough, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or by clicking the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Ulaa Kuziez, Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Roshae Hemmings is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
