For Soumya Seemakurti, the path to professional baking wasn't a straight line. It was a "gully," the Hindi word for the narrow streets where her best childhood memories were made over street food in India.

That word became the name of her business, Gully Bakehouse, which opened in April inside Voltron Brewing.

"Growing up, street food was a very common thing and my favorite thing," Seemakurti said. "That's where the best memories are made. I wanted the brand to reflect those fun, clean and happy memories."

After years of working in accounting, Seemakurti transitioned into the culinary world, blending the nostalgic flavors of her childhood with traditional pastry technique.

"I was always into baking ever since I was a teenager," she said. "Due to life, I moved around, but at some point, I just said, 'Okay, that's it. I want to pursue my dream.'"

The business shifted from hobby to reality after a successful pop-up at the Hometown Vendor Market at Tucson Mall in June 2025, where Seemakurti sold out her entire inventory.

Gully Bakehouse blends traditional pastry technique with flavor innovation. Seemakurti aims to keep the core identity of a pastry intact while introducing unexpected aromatic twists.

"I try to respect the nature of the dish," Seemakurti said. "If it's a roll, it still has to be a roll. Just giving that element of surprise and welcoming people to taste more variations is thrilling. In that way, Tucson is getting more flavors."

While many local bakeries offer a standard selection of pastries, Gully Bakehouse uses a house-made spice blend to bridge American comfort food and Indian tea culture.

"Who doesn't love saffron?" Seemakurti said. "It is such a delicate flavor; you have to respect those boundaries or you'll mess up the entire dish. But once the experience hits, people are like, 'Oh, that's fine.' It gives the dish its own identity."

Operating a bakery in the desert climate presents unique technical hurdles, but Seemakurti said Tucson's environment mostly works in her favor, with the dry heat serving a specific and functional purpose in her kitchen.

"(Tucson's climate) is close to the place I grew up in, and that's why I'm so connected to it," she said. "I love the warmth. When I'm fermenting the dough, the yeast is happy and things go very well. The only challenge is working with butter in the summer when it starts melting faster than I want."

She isn't alone in these struggles and has found a support system in fellow Tucson entrepreneurs. Cup of Culture owner Sabina Lalwani said Seemakurti is a mentor who helped her navigate the logistical dos and don'ts of Tucson's vendor markets.

"Soumya is a go-getter," Lalwani said. "She's always motivating others. She's very open to giving advice to other small businesses."

Despite the stress of scaling a business, their friendship offers a necessary balance.

"We talk about housework and balancing the business, future plans. It's a combination of both," Lalwani said. "I know her dream is to open her own full-time bakery. The stamina she has, the creativity, all the dedication is amazing. I want her to achieve her dream because that is going to make her happier."

Seemakurti reached a milestone when she established a physical presence at Voltron Brewing. The space allows her to host High Tea events, workshops, classes and other events, creating a place for Tucsonans to "rewind, reconnect, and reset" over her pastries.

Seemakurti's goal is to transition from a rotating online menu to a permanent bakery location, saying she measures Gully's success by the feeling her customers take home in their boxes.

"I definitely hope I keep surprising everyone," Seemakurti said. "I want people to feel satisfied when they leave, and if possible, enjoyment. I want to go beyond what people expected."

Gully offers pre-order pickups on Fridays from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome Saturdays, and Gully also makes Sunday appearances at local farmers markets.

To learn more about Gully Bakehouse, follow it on Instagram or visit gullybakehouse.com.

Isabel Vidrio is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist in Tucson. Contact her at  vidrioi@arizona.edu.

Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation.