Wu, a stay-at-home mom of two who opened a small bakery in Yantian last October, was forced to close on April 10 after a losing streak.

Her loyal customers, however, persuaded her to give it one more month. Bolstered by their confidence in her and support from the local commerce authorities, Wu decided to reopen the bakery on April 14.

The Sweet Wheat Bakery is near Haishan Station on Metro Line 2/8.

Wu opened the Sweet Wheat Bakery near Haishan Station on Metro Line 2/8 to help her brother, a pastry chef with more than two decades of experience, who had lost his job. Running a small bakery that makes healthy bread for the neighborhood had long been Wu's dream — one that could also provide her brother with a secure job.

To ensure the safety and quality of her products, Wu insisted on using imported ingredients and minimum additives. She would rather throw away unsold bread than sell it the next day. She also priced her products between 6 and 16 yuan apiece, not much higher than her costs. "I sell bread that my own children would eat," she said.

However, her bakery had been losing money since it opened, due to an overly broad product range, an inconspicuous storefront, and unreasonably low pricing.

Her decision to close sparked an outpouring of support from customers. A woman surnamed Liao posted on social media, calling for support for the "best bakery in Yantian." "My child broke into tears when hearing that the bakery would close," she said.

Staff members of Yantian's commerce bureau, who saw Liao's post, also visited the bakery. "We heard that many people would hate to see this bakery close, and we decided to help the owner," they said.

The bread produced by Wu's bakery.

"We were especially touched to learn that despite losing money, Wu contacted everyone who had prepaid for bread at the store and offered them refunds."

Following the staffers' advice to reduce her product range and keep only the best-selling items, Wu also decided to make bread to order to cut down on waste.

"I almost gave up," Wu said. "But because so many strangers chose to believe in me, I decided to give it another try. I'm thankful that they helped keep my dream alive."

Ms Wu and her husband Robert.