Kansas City Food Blog

​Those who suggest that the mom-and- pop store is a thing of the past should meet Lee Jones and Eileen Usovicz, the couple behind the Clock Tower Bakery & Café (7911 Santa Fe Drive). It opened in downtown Overland Park last week.

"It all centers around my wife," says Jones. "She's been baking for 30 years and had a small high-end pizza catering business. We always wanted to open a bake shop and when we found a space in downtown Overland Park, that got the juices flowing."

Both are former librarians. Lee met Eileen when he was interviewing candidates for a position at a micrographics preservation laboratory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She got the job and he got a wife.

"We worked together for more than eight years before we decided to have more than a working relationship," jokes Jones.

Now the two are realizing their dream with the cozy café that takes its name from downtown Overland Park's most recognizable landmark. The cinnamon, lemon and orange rolls ($2.25) have been an early favorite among customers. And Jones has a theory as to why:

"I think it's possibly an ingredient that most folks don't expect. It's not really a secret, but there are very few people who sell cinnamon rolls that incorporate potato -- it adds to the flavor and consistency," says Jones.
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​The bakery also sells muffins (cinnamon-sugar, cranberry, blueberry, $1.50), cookies (snickerdoodle, chocolate chip, and oatmeal walnut raisin, $1.50), brioche buns ($1.50), and brownies ($2). Besides carryout business -- you'll get a baker's dozen when you order 12 of something -- Jones believes the bakery can have a busy lunch service. He plans  a rotating collection of soups -- right now it's chicken chili ($3.75) -- in addition to the large collection of thin crust pizzas, highlighted by a breakfast pizza (eggs and ham, $6), lamb and goat cheese ($8.50), and barbecue chicken ($7.50).  

"The specialty pizzas are awfully engaging. They're New York-style, hand-thrown and made from scratch. We're nowhere near Chicago style pizzas. We don't need to go there," says Jones.

Bread is the next menu item in the works. The couple started selling Challah at the end of last week and expect to have a full compliment of breads, including homemade rye, by December. The Clock Tower Bakery (913-948-9559) is open Monday to Sunday from 6:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. There's free Wi-Fi and freshly brewed coffee.

"It's fine with us if you come in and stay for a hour. We just want you to come in," says Jones.