The art of pastry making is the purest form of self expression for Tobey Layne, owner of Lamination Station LLC. After baking for more than 30 years, he finally started his own business.
Photograph by Tristyn MacDonald
His passion for baking began in college, after picking up The Italian Baker by Carol Field at a thrift store. During times of stress, he would bake. By the end of college the book was stained and burned from use. Layne knew it inside and out. He wound up in a new state looking for a job, and after interviewing to sell bread, he was determined to be overqualified. They wanted him to bake and the head chef just happened to be a researcher for The Italian Baker.
What makes his pastries special is that he has a background with bread and pastry making, so he can combine skill sets from both crafts. More unusually, he works closely with his clients to curate a pastry that is personalized and exclusive to their cafe.
“We work together on…the format, the flavors, the presentation, and then it’s only available at that particular client’s location,” says Layne.
Photograph by Tristyn MacDonald
For now, he only does wholesale, but you can find his creations at a variety of Bellingham cafes, such as Hammerhead Coffee, 11th Hour Coffee and Tea, and Firehouse Cafe.
While he deeply enjoys experimenting with his craft, the croissant will always be Layne’s baby because it was the first thing he put forth. It also sparked the idea for the company name, lamination being a crucial dough layering process in making croissants and other pastries.
Photograph by Tristyn MacDonald
Since opening in September 2024, Layne has baked and delivered everything himself. He wants to open a shop in the next few years, which will act partially as an experimentation lab to test his new ideas. In the meantime, check out his curated and staple pastries at Bellingham’s local cafes.
Bellingham, 425.588.7729, laminationstation.us
