Brian and Trenda Garrett wanted a change in their quality of life. They wanted less time apart from their family from work and more time together doing something they enjoyed.
That’s how the husband and wife decided to buy the former Kite Video location at 719 Eighth St. and start Bulldog Bakery’s Sweet Shop, which opened Oct. 20 during the Maple Leaf Festival.
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“It’s going to be a work in progress; we wanted to just get it open,” Brian said.
The shop is lined with character-shaped cake pans and has colorful tables and chairs throughout the store where customers can sit.
The Garretts wanted to make the shop a place where residents and students would feel comfortable “hanging out” and spending time.
“We hope to do some non-typical things like movie nights on Friday,” Brian said.
Something else non-typical the sweet shop will do is not have a set menu. The shop will have a variety of cupcakes, cookies, cakes and other baked goods every day. The flavors, however, will not be set.
“Whatever we get up in the morning and feel like baking, that’s what we’ll have,” Trenda said. “I think it would be monotonous to do the same thing over and over again.”
Trenda and Brian also hope to find a niche in catering to people with strict diets.
“I want to start doing recipes that are sugar-free and a more diverse menu for everything,” Trenda said.
They hope the menu will also include gluten-free items as well as whatever other dietary needs members of the community may have.
Although the bakery has only been open a week, Baldwin City residents are already showing an interest in the new downtown business, and the Garretts are enjoying hearing opinions on how the bakery could cater to the community’s needs.
“It’s getting to meet all the people,” Brian said. “Townspeople come in asking what used to be here. I like hearing what they have to say and what they like.”
Bulldog Bakery’s Sweet Shop hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but hours may be adjusted as needed to fit community needs.
