SHELBY – Hilary Lester spent years amassing a collection of decorations that would someday add a personal touch to the walls of her own bakery.
Early Tuesday morning, Lester stood surrounded by the eclectic collection, now hanging on the walls of her new 218 Mansfield Ave. storefront, Life Is Sweet Cakery.
“Today was amazing,” Lester said. “I saw so many new faces today and that was so cool.”
Leading up to the bakery
Lester, born and raised in Shelby, has been baking for almost two years. She is self-taught, she said, learning through platforms like YouTube and Pinterest during her spare time.
She was also a supervisor at the Sam’s Club bakery in Ontario, but has since scaled back to part-time.
“I kind of got into baking by accident in a way,” she said. “One day, my staff was drowning in work and I said, ‘Okay, I need to learn how to do everything’.”
Lester was commissioned to make a specialty cake for a friend’s baby shower and from there, it blossomed, she said.
“I have a lot of support in the community and from friends, family and customers,” she said. “It’s just crazy, what I’ve done and looking through the history of me.”
About a year ago, an opportunity for a storefront fell through for Lester, which led her to question the reality of her dream, she admitted.
“It was kind of a bummer for a while,” she said. “It made me question if I wanted to do this, or really could do this.”
Lester said her friend Nicole Fortman, owner of Nicole & Co. salon in Shelby, pushed her to consider opening a storefront in the building next to the salon, which Fortman owns.
“She (Fortman) told me, ‘The door is open over there. I think you should walk through’,” Lester said. “At that point, I just stood there and got goosebumps.”
A friend and family effort
Lester said that opening her bakery wouldn’t have been possible without her family’s support.
Her father, Jay Huss, helped install the bakery cases and worked on the walls, and her mother, Bonnie Huss, is the bakery dishwasher.
“My dad was my contractor,” she said. “I don’t know how to do a lot of the things he did to help.”
Lester’s late grandmother is also a special part of the bakery.
“One of my biggest regrets is not spending more time in the kitchen with my grandmother,” she said. “She was one of a kind.”
Six of her plates now hang on the wall, right next to the bakery case.
Lester said she’s been inspired by her fellow women business owners, including Fortman and Diana Billotte.
“She (Billotte) has been one of my biggest cheerleaders,” she said. “She is another super cool lady who’s inspired me.”
When you walk in the bakery, the smell of freshly baked goods and bright pops of color on the walls greet you.
Kate Curren, friend of Lester, hand-painted the walls and assisted with the creation of the Light Is Sweet Cakery logo.
“When you come in, I want it to feel good,” Lester said. “I want the customer to feel happy.”
Baked goods and more
The bakery offers cakes, cookies, brownies, scones, cake pops and cupcakes for all occasions.
Current hours of operation are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursdays 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“It feels good to know that I have a support group out there,” Lester said. “I’m encouraged, scared and excited. All of the things.”
On Sept. 15, Lester said she and Fortman will collaborate to celebrate the bakery’s grand opening with a ribbon cutting, as well as Nicole and Co.’s twenty-fifth anniversary.
There will be a tailgate theme to cheer on the Shelby Whippet football team, which hosts a home game that evening. The event is open to the public.