Grand Rapids' west side gets a little sweeter

"I find joy in baking for people" is the simple inspiration behind Scrumptious Cupcakes and Sweetery, the new business founded by Betsy Denham that has opened on the west side of Grand Rapids.

Denham began her journey baking from home, then moved her operation to the Downtown Market's kitchen incubator. At that point, Denham says she was selling and setting up deliveries online, but the challenge was being recognized as a local business when she only had a web presence. So when a shared retail space opened on the corner of Lake Michigan and Seward, she decided to make a move. "We are close to GVSU's campus so it feels like being downtown without being downtown," she says.    

Denham will continue to make her gourmet cupcakes in the Downtown Market's incubator and then sell them in her new location. In addition to the cupcakes, Denham's busines features event catering and soft-serve ice cream with a variety of bakery-themed sundaes such as red velvet cake and key lime. Denham notes that her dairy products are sourced from a farm in New Era, MI and are very high in quality compared to other soft-serve alternatives.

Looking towards the future, Denham says she hopes her business becomes a destination within the city: "We want people from all over Grand Rapids to visit our store because our products are unique," she says. She adds that her business currently features takeout and outside seating but has a goal of becoming a full-scale bakery with an inside cafe.

To learn more about Scrumptious Cupcakes and Sweetery, you can visit their site here or their Facebook page here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor