A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Bircus Brewing, North South Baking team up in new Pike Street location in Covington


North South’s successful pastry business has outgrown the facilities at the Incubator Kitchen Collective in Newport, where it has been popping out wholesale pastries for local cafes and Farmers’ Markets across the Tri-State Area for four years.

Kate Ncyz

Enter Paul Miller, Chief Goof-Officer of Ludlow’s Bircus Brewery and general Ludlow aficionado-at-large. In 2016, Bircus Brewing Co. opened at the Historic Ludlow Theatre. Bircus has distributed beer in three states since then, and has welcomed over a million people to its home on Elm St. in Ludlow.

“Last year, in the midst of a pandemic, we imported some talent… Michael Cusumano flew in from Italy to help us launch the Bircus Pizzeria/Supper Club,” says Miller, grateful for Bircus’ continued growth and success. “For 11 months we’ve been firing up our wood fired oven in Ludlow.”

Miller’s timely plans to open a second Bircus location on Pike Street in Covington coincide perfectly with Kate Nycz’s need.

Miller and Ncyz will share the new Bircus location’s expansive kitchen. Pastries by day and pizzas by night is the simple partnership strategy.

Bircus Brewing

Nycz will have plenty of a.m. hours and space for pastry production, packaging, storage, and sales. Bircus will cut overhead by close to half at the new Covington location, as well as enhance its current menu offerings with delicious, in-house desserts.

“There’s going to be beer flights and dessert flights,” says Miller.

“This is an incredible partnership sprouting out of the Incubator Kitchen Collective. Paul from Bircus has been a longtime supporter of the IKC, including having fundraisers for our benefit,” says Rachel Grubbs DesRoches, Founder of the Incubator Kitchen Collective. “I think this is a great next step for Kate and North South Baking, and I couldn’t be more proud to see this incubation.”

New location: 39 Pike Street


“I am so happy to welcome our customers into a retail location for North South Baking Co. I appreciate everyone who has supported us over the past four years; during all of the transitions NSBC has seen – from a home kitchen in Cincinnati, to the Incubator Kitchen Collective in Newport, and now to a brick and mortar pastry shop in Covington,” says Kate Nycz. “I have always been blown away by the community who shows up for us every Saturday, year round, at the  Hyde Park and Covington Farmers’ Markets and am very excited that we will be able to bake five days a week for them now.”

Nycz views the arrangement as a steppingstone to North South’s future HQ in Ludlow. It allows for continued growth and positions the company to advance. Both Miller and Nycz plan to stay focused on cutting through red tape, securing funding, and bringing North South’s stand-alone bakery to fruition in Ludlow. Miller’s continued dedication to bringing Ludlow’s business district out of the shadows remains on the forefront of his agenda.

“We are very excited to expand to 39 West Pike. The City of Covington has been a joy to work with,” says Miller.

Opening date for the new Bircus location at 39 West Pike St. in Covington will be announced once licensing has been approved.


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