Sourdough Celebrated; Westville Gains 2 Stores

“Toast a slice with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt,” Malby Rojas told a small group of customers when explaining how best to eat her signature country sourdough bread.

She offered that advice at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday marking the launch of two Westville businesses: Malby’s Pastries and its Whalley Avenue neighbor, Inkberry Art Shop. 

Attendees included Mayor Justin Elicker, Westville Village Renaissance Alliance Executive Director Elizabeth Donius, Deputy Economic Development Administrator Carlos Eyzaguirre, and Westville/Amity Alder Richard Furlow.

Though it only calls for three ingredients — flour, water, and salt – Rojas’s sourdough requires precise technique and hours of effort. The result is a chewy, slightly tangy bread with enough character to be eaten on its own.

The road to Malby’s Pastries began in 2017, shortly after Rojas immigrated to Miami. Back in Venezuela, she had studied biology and accounting during college, and after graduating, she worked in various administrative roles. It was in a Miami bakery that she became fascinated by the science of baking.

“I feel that I am continuing my career from Venezuela,” she said, with the caveat that unlike biology, baking involves more ​“practicing” than ​“reading.” Still, she explained, baking requires scientific experimentation, precision, and frequent monitoring.

Soon afterwards, she moved to Chicago, where she met her now-wife, Dr. Karla Tejeda Arias. Arias’ work brought them to Boston and then New Haven in 2021. The couple now lives in Westville with their four-week-old son, Leo.

Together, Arias and Rojas opened Malby’s Pastries at 912 Whalley Ave. In addition to sourdough, the bakery sells cinnamon buns, brioche, various Latin desserts, and coffee.

Without Arias’ support, Rojas confessed that the bakery would not exist. ​“This journey was filled with lots of love, hard work, and bread,” she said.

Thea Buxbaum, founder of ArtLoftsWest, shared that Malby’s bread and pastries were among the best she had ever tried. She said, ​“Once they feed you, you want them nearby.”

Malby’s Pastries will host a soft opening on May 30. Rojas has grand plans for the day: ​“I will try to make a lot of different pastries – I want to fill the counters completely.”

Next door, Inkberry also celebrated on Tuesday its recent opening. Co-owned by Katya Vetrov and her husband Chris Killheffer, the store sells handmade items made by over 20 twenty local artists, including pottery, jewelry, t‑shirts, and wall art. The store opened its doors on April 12.

While the idea for Inkberry had always been in the back of her mind, Vetrov finally took the plunge when the space at 910 Whalley Ave. became vacant.

“Katya told me that she’s been watching Westville and the storefront for years,” Buxbaum said, which made her excited to rent to Inkberry.

Vetrov’s experiences as an artist inspired her to start Inkberry. ​“I know how hard it is to find places to sell,” she explained, ​“and if [someone] buys something from a market, it can be hard to track down that artist to buy something else.” At Inkberry, she aims to spotlight a rolling cast of local artists, almost like ​“a gallery gift shop.”

Aside from running Inkberry, Vetrov is also an art history instructor at Gateway Community College, a role that she said has deepened her relationship with New Haven and enabled her to mentor young people pursuing careers in the arts. She has also worked with theater departments at Long Wharf Theatre and Quinnipiac University.

On Tuesday, customers were charmed by Inkberry’s unique offerings — including this reporter, who purchased a delicate, blue-and-gold beaded bracelet.

But people were especially thrilled by Inkberry’s commitment to supporting local artists. While checking out, one customer told Katya, ​“I have a few artist friends, and I will definitely be telling them about you.”