In this week’s edition of the RO’s exclusive “Local Business Spotlight” column, contributor Cleve Baxley meets with Bambi Dawn Pantore, the owner and of Kool Kakes Bakery and Café, LLC.
In encouraging the successes of local small businesses, the RO uses a question-and-answer format to highlight what local businesses are doing in the community.
Below is the conversation between Baxley and Pantore:
What is your location in Rockingham?
“Kool Kakes Bakery and Café is located in uptown Rockingham at 301 East Washington Street,” Pantore said.
What days and hours are you open?
“We are open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon,” Pantore explained.
When was your business established?
“We got started in June 2007,” Pantore said. “I worked at my home first about 11 years ago and then just about 10 months ago we started here at the shop uptown.”
How did the business get started?
“I was making birthday cakes for my kids and a couple of their friends saw them and they wanted birthday cakes, too,” Pantore noted. “So a hobby turned into a very expensive habit, which turned into a business.
“Jennifer McLaurin Thomas (who is also an owner) started coming and helping me about eight years ago,” Pantore added. “And four years ago, we became partners in the business. What once was only decorative cakes has become so much more.”
What services do you provide?
“We make birthday cakes, wedding cakes, cupcakes and cookies,” Pantore commented. “We also do catering where we can create an entire sweet table for events, too. We also, like today, had kids here. A school group came, about 20 little five-year-olds. They were in here decorating cupcakes and cookies. We also host birthday parties here at the shop.”
What products do you sell?
“We mostly baked goods,” Pantore said. “We are also getting into cakes and pies for holidays. Cookie trays, too.”
What do you enjoy most about your business?
“I like the little kids,” Pantore said. “I really like the little kids when they come in and get excited about seeing a turkey on a cupcake or the monsters on cupcakes that we had for Halloween. It really makes me happy.”
What is something your business is known for?
“We are definitely best known for our custom cakes,” Pantore said.
What is something you would like people to know about your business?
“I want people to know that we offer more than just cakes,” Pantore expressed. “We also do breads and pastries. We’re trying to add more to it as we go along.
“If anyone has any suggestions of something that they like, we’re open to that. We had a Jewish egg bread someone was requesting. We made it and it turned out that it’s a very popular item. So we do offer more than just cakes.
How can people reach you?
“Our phone number 910-995-6889,” Pantore said. “And we are on Facebook at ‘Kool Kakes’ (with a k).”
