LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Louisville sweet shop that has served patrons for 35 years is closing.
Sweet Surrender Dessert Café on Frankfort Avenue opened for the final day of business as people lined up outside for one more taste.
Some patrons went to Sweet Surrender searching for a final slice on Saturday.
“It’s the best cake in town, it’s the best cake honestly I’ve ever had in my life it’s so good,” said Aubrey Croghan, a customer.
Mariam Beloff, the store’s kitchen manager, said the carrot bourbon caramel cake is the top seller.
“We made a lot so hopefully everyone in line is able to get one,” Beloff said.
Some customers came for one last memory after years of cakes for weddings, graduations, baby showers and birthdays.
“I’m going to miss them that’s for sure,” Roy Deemer said.
The bakery catered Croghan’s wedding cake, and for that reason, it will always hold a special place.
“It’s a wonderful local business and I’m really sad to see them go,” Croghan said.
Sweet Surrender Dessert Café announced earlier this month its plans to close, citing the same economic reasons plaguing so many small businessses.
“The challenges of the current labor market, inflation and continuing pandemic created a perfect storm that we can no longer weather,” the post said.
The staff is now looking for other jobs.
“Some of us already have things lined up, other people are going to take a little bit of a break,” Beloff said.
While the turnout in its final hours was tremendous, that hasn’t been the case for the business in the last few months.
“If all these people had come more over the last year or so they’d still be in business,” Deemer said.
The neighborhood bakery has become few and far between in recent years.
“There are very few of them left,” Deemer said.
Workers at Sweet Surrender Dessert Café said it left its mark on Louisville, and that will remain ever present.
“Sweet Surrender has impacted so many other bakers, so many other bakeries that its inspiration will continue on in the city,” Beloff said.
The business is asking longtime customers to continue to follow its social media accounts to find out about future pop-up events.
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