Dayton natives team up to open commercial kitchen space

Dexter Clay, also known as “Uncle Boof,” who owns Uncle Boof’s World Famous Pancake Mix with Zach Jeckering, said they hope to offer a lunch service and see where that takes them.

“For us to expand into more grocery stores and stuff like that, we needed a commercial kitchen to work out of,” Schindler said.

Schindler came up with Blazin’ Dayton, a hot sauce company, in August 2022 after working in the restaurant industry for over 10 years. He said he participated in several pop-up events at the end of last year, but needed a commercial kitchen to take his business into area stores.

“I feel like everybody wants something locally made,” Schindler said. “I was trying to think of things that I like that nobody else is producing locally.”

Schindler said he has perfected four recipes ranging from a pineapple, salsa verde-style hot sauce to a blueberry habanero hot sauce. Blazin’ Dayton hopes to build up its inventory before getting the hot sauce into area stores.

The commercial kitchen space will allow Uncle Boof’s World Famous Pancake Mix to expand outside of Ohio. The idea of the pancake mix company came about at the end of 2020. Clay explained that he and Jeckering wanted to make a product that people would see on the shelves and feel like they have to try it.

“Who doesn’t like pancakes?” Clay said.

Uncle Boof’s World Famous Pancake Mix can be found online and at several Dayton stores including Tony & Pete’s Groceries and Coldcuts, Gem City Market, Dorothy Lane Market, Dot’s Market, Tasty Bird Market and Westside Market. Clay said last year they produced around 2,000 boxes of pancake mix and hope to add additional stores this year.

“My favorite part is seeing how everything keeps coming together,” Clay said. “Like I said, we set some goals and we were like let’s just do it, make it like an art project and see where it goes.”

The three entrepreneurs and longtime friends have backgrounds in graphic design and experience in the clothing brand industry. They hope The Ugly Duckling will be a collaborative space, a destination to invite and inspire other entrepreneurs through pop-up events. The Ugly Duckling will be the last stop during the April 7 Dayton Bike Meet.

The building that houses the commercial kitchen space was previously home to Joe Mama’s Taste of Dayton.