Women’s History Month: Young entrepreneur encourages others to pursue passions

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - March is Women’s History Month, which honors the impact women have made throughout history and celebrates their accomplishments. There are many women throughout the Brazos Valley who continue to raise the bar and inspire others along the way like Rebecca Cruz.

If you’ve strolled down the Brazos Valley Farmer’s Market, you’ve probably been captivated by her perfectly baked croissants and madeleines. She’s the owner of Moonstruck Pastry & Coffee Co. and treats every baked good like a work of art.

Baking is something that came naturally to Cruz. She loved watching “Cake Boss” as a little girl and used her easy-bake oven to make simple box cake mixes.

This passion slowly came to a halt by the time Cruz entered college. She decided to take some time off from school after a few semesters to re-evaluate her major and goals. During that time, Cruz visited the Brazos Valley Farmers Market and rekindled her love of baking.

“I was really inspired by all of the vendors,” Cruz said. “I didn’t know what I was going to sell, but I was like ’I kind of know how to bake’ and then that’s kind of how the idea was born.”

Cruz started Moonstruck Pastry & Coffee Co. in 2021 and became a vendor at the farmers market. She’s now expanded her business and has a coffee camper that allows her to offer coffee and travel more.

The entrepreneur found the camper on Craigslist, and it took nearly two years to complete. The grand opening for the coffee camper is April 1 at the Brazos Valley Farmers Market. It’s located at 500 North Main Street in downtown Bryan and happens from 8 a.m. to noon.

It’s still hard for Cruz to believe where her business is today. She credits her family for supporting her entrepreneurship journey and giving her the confidence to try new things.

“Everyone in my family has contributed to this,” Cruz said. “I don’t know where I’d be without them, honestly.”

Cruz said starting a business is risky but encourages people to take the step to do whatever they’re passionate about.

“Life is too short to not do what you love,” Cruz said.

You can learn more about Cruz and see her latest baked creations on her website and Instagram.

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