Help Open Shop Halo Halo Bakery & Community Space

Kamusta everyone! My name is Geleen Abenoja. I'm a self-taught dessert and pastry chef and community organizer based in Portland, Oregon and the owner and baker behind Shop Halo Halo, a pop-up bakery specializing in modern and traditional baked goods and desserts featuring Filipino and Asian-Pacific flavors.

 

I've worked in the food and service industry for several years, gaining traction and popularity for my handmade Filipino desserts. In 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, I decided to take a chance on expanding Shop Halo Halo beyond the occasional pop-up to weekly dessert box deliveries, pre-order pick-ups, and market vending, steadily building a following and regular clientele and quickly outgrowing my production space.

 

Since then, with incredible and consistent support from the community, Shop Halo Halo has grown more than I could have imagined, and now I am preparing to take the next step. I am partnering with Daphne Peters of Daphne's Botanicals (another Filipina-owned business!) to open a bakery, community cafe space, and plant shop in the Woodstock neighborhood by this winter!

 

We are raising $35,000 to build out, equip, and furnish a warm, living and breathing space where you can relax among lush foliage and enjoy handcrafted treats that delight the eyes and the taste buds; A space that centers and uplifts community, highlights and innovates beloved flavors and recipes, and educates others about Filipino cuisine, culture, and history.

 

We have already raised about $9,000 through our website to support initial start-up costs, and still have quite a ways to go! Even the smallest amount goes a long way and your donation will directly support us with the following:

 

As Shop Halo Halo continues to evolve and grow, our ultimate goal is to serve a “halo-halo” or “mix-mix” of quality, handcrafted sweets that convey our stories and honor the flavor-filled union of history and tradition, geography and resources, family and culture that span all the way from the Philippines to the Pacific Northwest. We would love and greatly appreciate any material support you can provide as we create this space together. And please spread the word :) Maraming Salamat!

 

Follow us @shop_halo_halo and @daphnesbotanicals on Instagram for ongoing updates!