Sweet: This Johnson County bakery is doing so well it will nearly quadruple in size
Fans of Dolce Bakery have longed to hold events in the space. They can soon.
The scratch bakery, at 3930 W. 69th Terrace in The Shops of Prairie Village, will nearly quadruple in size by the holidays.
It is taking over the former Health House space next door, knocking out a wall to expand its kitchen and add an event space for showers, corporate meetings, small weddings, craft and baking workshops, and more.
Customers also will be able to pick up preorders there during holiday rushes, when lines are often down the block.
Owner Erin Brown said she first put on an oven mitt when she was 7 and has been baking ever since. She mostly learned from her aunt and grandmothers, as her mom rarely baked.
“My dad has a construction business and he would go to Sam’s Club for his supplies and buy me all the butter and sugar I wanted,” she said
She opened Dolce Baking Co. in 2007, and then relocated in the center and expanded in 2013, changing the name to Dolce Bakery. It has seating indoors and out.
She expanded again in 2019, taking more basement space for storage. But it wasn’t enough. Her father will oversee the latest expansion, as he has in the past.
Dolce Bakery offers such items as custom cakes, wedding cakes, blueberry scones, biscotti, caramel pecan rolls, carrot cake cupcakes, Chiefs sugar cookies, chocolate espresso cookies, brownies, granola, and Aunt Cindy’s cinnamon rolls (named after her aunt).
In May, Condé Nast Traveler’s feature “Where to Eat, Stay and Play in Kansas City” named Dolce Bakery as a strong contender for “best cinnamon rolls” in the metro.
“I don’t take shortcuts. We make everything from scratch,” Brown said. “And also I have an incredible team. I’ve built my team to 37 hardworking individuals that both love to bake and decorate, and love to serve our customers and each other.”
Health House fitness center closed in November, and the landlord sued the owners for back rent and possession of the space. The suit was later dismissed.
Tiffany Town had operated in the space for 50 years before closing in 2017.
This story was originally published October 21, 2021 at 5:00 AM.