Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Merrill.
Kate, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a Registered Nurse in career, working in a Trauma Intensive Care unit for 21 years. I would bake with my great grandmother growing up and was committed to perfecting recipes to make them taste amazing. Baking was a selfish hobby of mine because I would love to see the reaction on peoples’ faces when they would try one of my baked goods. I am married to a wonderful man and we have 3 wonderful children. My children and I baked together and I have always associated it with happy memories. I have never wanted to 1) own a business 2) have a retail space 3) be a manager. So I call Edge of Sweetness my mid-life crisis. I woke up one day and told my husband that although I don’t want to do it I had to open my own business selling cookies (Kate’s Cookies). After a couple of years of unsolicited selling I decided to pursue selling wholesale. As business grew I needed to decide what to do next. I was looking for a kitchen that I could rent monthly rather than the hourly fee all the shared kitchen spaces charge which is not conducive to growing a business. I met my business partner, Paige, at one of the shared kitchen spaces I was using, Lakeview Kitchen & Market, and we found that we had the same values in product. I needed a kitchen to produce my product and Paige wanted to run a retail space. Edgewater was the only neighborhood I really wanted to open a bakery and we found the perfect space. The space was larger than we needed but I also knew that I didn’t want to move as business grew. I am that person that doesn’t believe in re-inventing the wheel, I look to make things easier for others if I can. We had extra space and I knew it would be amazing for others growing small businesses to have a space of their own to spend time growing. Our shared kitchen spaces are currently full with 5 businesses renting space on a monthly basis working very hard to grow their product and customer base. We also offer one another advice, support and product if needed, as we understand that villages work better than individuals.
Edge of Sweetness is a local bakery catering to our customers’ needs. We believe in providing only the best tasting hand made products that look amazing. We want to make people’s lives easier by providing an easy ordering process as well as amazing customer service. It means so much to us to be allowed to take part in our neighbor’s special moments in life. I am still a selfish baker, I love to see people’s reaction as they take their first bite, and if I don’t get that reaction, I’m back in the kitchen working to perfect it.
Currently I still work part time as a nurse and spend the rest of my days at the bakery. My husband and children are my biggest supporters and I cherish them every day.
Has it been a smooth road?
Opening a business always brings expected challenges and we did not fall short of them. Besides the long wait times for permits and inspections and construction cost triple our budget we had many unexpected challenges that truly surprised me. My husband and I have worked with many contractors as we rehabbed our apartment building and completely remodeled our home ourselves so I felt I had quite a bit of knowledge going into the construction process of building our bakery. I was very surprised to notice how differently Paige and I were treated in the construction process as woman. I felt there was an immediate preconception that we knew nothing about construction and were spoken down to many times. Needless to say, we found the right contractors and every one we worked with came to learn that we were willing and able to do any work needed to get our bakery running and that we knew what we were talking about or anxious to learn. Paige and I were breaking up concrete with jack hammers and digging 5 foot holes with our closest family and friends so the plumbers could get in to run new drains, we were there every day cleaning, building, installing, painting and laying tile. Literally our blood, sweat and tears are in this bakery and we continue to work daily to make our vision come true. We still have challenges finding the right staff who have similar values in quality and are engaged in the process. Paige and I still wear many hats at the bakery as we continue to pay off short term loans we needed in order to open our doors. We remain committed to our values and our community. My friends at PXM Crossfit have a quote on their gym wall that says “Challenges are a part of life, it’s what you do with them that makes life interesting,” or something like that. We are still making life interesting.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Edge of Sweetness story. Tell us more about the business.
Edge of Sweetness is a full scale bakery specializing in hand made deliciousness. Paige, and I have similar values in quality in taste and visual appeal coupled with ease in ordering and great customer service. We hand make and create amazing specialty cakes, dessert tables, cinnamon rolls, scones, bagels, croissants, cookies and more.
We are proud to make everything we serve by scratch in house (besides our hot coffee and tea). We understand this is not the most cost effective way to run a business but this is what Paige and I believe in. We believe in the wow factor response to the taste of our product. Paige and I have learned that this is what sets us apart from other bakeries and coffee shops who often purchase some or most of their baked goods or doughs from outside sources.
Edge of Sweetness is known for our cinnamon rolls, bagels, quiche, cookies, and ooey gooey butter cake as well as our specialty cakes.
Paige and I randomly say, “We own a bakery”, it still amazes us that people love to use our space and products for their events. It is heart-warming to be allowed to take part in our neighbor’s most special events, I am truly proud that they welcome us into their lives. Paige often says that our customers are our neighbors, and we both believe they are our family as well. We have the best customers and we want to give them the best every day. If we falter in some way we take it to heart, learn from it to keep moving forward making positive changes. We are ever learning and hopefully ever growing.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We will continue to grow all facets of our business. Our business plan actually has 6 areas of revenue and we continue to work on growing each of these avenues to offer consistent and reliable service to all of our clients.
1) Retail bakery and coffee house for the community
2) Wholesale
3) Wedding and specialty event cakes and pastries
4) Corporate gifting and catering
5) Event space rental and classes
6) Shared kitchen space
Contact Info:
- Address: 6034 N Broadway Street
Chicago, IL 60660 - Website: www.edgeofsweetness.com
- Phone: 773-564-9683
- Email: edgeofsweetnessinfo@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edgeofsweetness/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/edgeofsweetness/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/edgeofsweetness
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/edge-of-sweetness-chicago-2?osq=edge+of+sweetness
Image Credit:
Morgan Anderson Photography
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