By Alexandra Brewer | Arts & Life Writer
After months of baking at home and testing recipes at local markets, Fox and Co. officially opened its doors on Thursday. Nestled in the heart of downtown Waco, the 601 Franklin Ave. storefront has welcomed customers into its cozy, book-inspired bakery.
Owner and baker Victor Hernandez said the journey to opening happened much more quickly than he expected.
Victor and his wife, Alyssa Hernandez, began baking from their home in June of 2025, gradually building a following through small markets before moving into their downtown storefront in early April.
“I honestly am still processing whether or not it is real,” Victor said. “It just feels a little like, ‘How did we get here so fast?’”
The couple did a one-day soft opening on Tuesday for friends and family before hosting their official grand opening.
Victor said the public response on opening day was overwhelmingly positive.
“Owners of other coffee shops have stopped by today to wish us well and bought a coffee,” Victor said. “Waco is just so good at developing community among business owners.”
He added that one of the most unexpected moments was seeing customers return with others.
“We had a lot of people who came in early and got their things, went to work and then came back with friends,” Victor said.
Victor said the path to opening Fox and Co. began while he was working at Magnolia, where he discovered his passion for food and creating recipes. He later earned his culinary degree and worked as a culinary director before becoming a business owner.
“I was like, ‘I’m about to be 40,’ I can either start my own thing now, or I can be 50 and look back and go, ‘Why didn’t I start when I was 40?'” Victor said.
Victor elaborated that the decision ultimately came down to taking a risk and trusting the process.
Now, Victor says the goal for Fox and Co. is to become a welcoming and relaxing space for locals and Baylor students alike.
“We really just want this to be a place that locals love coming to … And that Baylor students can find a place to come,” Victor said. “It’s a cool place to hang out and do things.”
Alyssa expressed her belief in the importance of being an entrepreneur.
“We’re just really excited to be here … We believe in small business ownership and generational wealth building,” Alyssa said. “We also really want to concentrate on inclusion with gluten-free items and dairy-free.”
The couple is committed to creating baked goods that are inclusive to a variety of different diets and preferences.
“If there’s anybody that specifically wants a certain thing that they can’t have anywhere else, we would love to know, whatever that is, we can make it,” Alyssa said.
Victor shared that the name reflects the company’s long-term growth plans.
“We named it Fox and Co. with the intention of expanding further into other things,” Victor said. “So, Fox and Co. bakery, then we would expand into Fox and Brew coffee, Fox and Bound bookstore.”
Fox and Co. focuses on creating familiar pastries with little twists, such as a lemon cake with a tart lemon glaze and a candied lemon garnish.
“I’m not doing anything out of this world,” Victor said. “I’m doing a lot of things that are really familiar, but in a way that’s just a little different than what you’re used to.”
At the heart of it, opening Fox and Co. was about building something rooted in community.
“We just love Waco,” Victor said. “And we’re hoping that Waco loves us.”
