When work is a passion and the craft is baking, both customers and business owner prevail.
The Bake Shop, located at 2049 Wadsworth Blvd., is operated by Mark Luchetti, who said he creates everything in the store from scratch, made fresh daily.
“I went to culinary school and worked at another bakery previously, but I wanted to do my own thing so I decided to start my own place,” Luchetti said.
The Bake Shop has been open for two years and features all types of pastries and cakes from wedding to turnovers.
Baking is a form of chemistry and all the ingredients must be added at the right time and in a proper amount for the culmination to be perfect, he said.
“I love to bake, and I like to make what I want and what I think people will really enjoy, so being a business owner is great,” he said.
Residents said the shop has a special place in Lakewood because scratch bakeries are a rarity these days, he said.
Luchetti said scratch means just that, everything is made fresh daily and everything sold in the bakery is made by Luchetti’s hands.
“Other bakeries may do wedding cakes, but they don’t necessarily mean they make the cake-rounds, they might get them frozen. I make everything,” he said.
Residents of the city said that this “scratch” practice is what brings them through the doors.
“I have really enjoyed the special detail that I get for my orders and the delicious treats that I get from The Bake Shop,” said resident Margaret Lopez.
Luchetti takes his time with his creations and pays close attention to detail, she said.
“I like to support independent businesses and am really pleased when I go into a place like The Bake Shop and can get individualized attention for my special orders,” Lopez said.
The shop also offers made to order coffee drinks, such as cappuccinos, which Lopez said are a nice … perk.
“I like being able to get a good pastry and a good latte all in one stop,” she said.
Wedding cakes are a time-honored tradition, which Luchetti said he prides himself on doing a topnotch job of creating.
Brides come to the shop well in advance of their weddings because they know the time it takes to create their cake and Luchetti said he requires every second.
Wedding cakes take from three days to a week to create, Luchetti said. At them moment the largest wedding cake Luchetti created featured a total of nine tiers, he said.
“I make everything from scratch, and timing is important so that they don’t get dry,” he said.
However, there was a request not too long ago for a wedding cake ordered two weeks before the event, which Luchetti said he was able to complete.
Turnovers and scones are the most popular items in the shop, but cakes and brownies are not far behind, he said.
Business has slowed with the economic downturn all have felt, but Luchetti stays positive and continues to offer the best pastries around.
“I know people notice I charge a little more than other bakeries, but once they taste the quality of the products, they understand why,” he said.
The turnovers, for example, are never dry and always just flakey enough and feature a variety of fresh filling, such as cherry-cream cheese, he said.
The Bake Shop is open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information call 303-274-2253.